Determination of the pH and the free alkali metal content in the pore solution of concrete: Review and experimental comparison

The durability of concrete is affected by the pH of its pore solution, which is linked to the free alkali metal content. This paper starts with a literature review of methods for determining the pH and/or the free alkali metal content in the pore solution of concrete. Promising methods are compared in the second part of the paper. The authors then report on pore water expression (PWE) and three ex situ leaching methods (ESL) applied to Portland cement (CEM I) and Portland fly ash cement (CEM II/B-V) mortars. Finally, the authors make recommendations for the determination of the pH and the free alkali metal content of concrete. Because the measurement of the free-water content of the sample was found to be an important parameter, it is recommended to determine the pH with PWE and the free alkali metal content with ESL.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2017.03.002
• Record URL:
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000888461630607X
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00088846
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission from Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Plusquellec, G
  • Geiker, M R
  • Lindgård, J
  • Duchesne, J
  • Fournier, B
  • De Weerdt, K
• Publication Date: 2017-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 13-26
• Serial:
  • Cement and Concrete Research
  • Volume: 96
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0008-8846
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00088846

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alkali metals; Concrete; Durability; pH value
• Uncontrolled Terms: Pore solution
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01635095
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 22 2017 4:00PM