Thermogravimetrical analysis for monitoring carbonation of cementitious materials (original) (raw)

On the Effects of Relative Humidity and CO2 Concentration on Carbonation of Cement Pastes

XV International Conference on Durability of Building Materials and Components. eBook of Proceedings, 2020

Many environments to which concrete is exposed are highly aggressive due to various chemical components. In such environments, concrete is subjected to processes of chemical degradation, among which carbonation is one of the most frequently seen degradation processes. Though, the influence of saturation degree (or relative humidity-RH) of the specimen and CO2 concentration on the carbonation of cementitious materials is still not comprehensively described with respect to carbonation rate/degree as well as alteration in microstructure and mineralogy. This work aims at thoroughly investigating how these two key parameters affect the carbonation under accelerated conditions. Furthermore, the effect of initial moisture state of the specimen on the carbonation rate is also demonstrated. For such purpose, a numerical model at continuum scale is developed to investigate the effects of RH and CO2 concentration on the carbonation depth, phase changes in phases and porosity of hardened cement pastes due to carbonation under accelerated conditions. Verification with experimental results from accelerated carbonation tests shows a good agreement. The modelling results with supporting experimental data help to better understand the modification of material properties under different carbonation conditions and to optimize the carbonation conditions.

Updating Carbon Storage Capacity of Spanish Cements

Sustainability

The fabrication of cement clinker releases CO2 due to the calcination of the limestone used as raw material, which contributes to the greenhouse effect. The industry is involved in a process of reducing this amount liberated to the atmosphere by mainly lowering the amount of clinker in the cements. The cement-based materials, such as concrete and mortars, combine part of this CO2 by a process called “carbonation”. Carbonation has been studied lately mainly due to the fact that it induces the corrosion of steel reinforcement when bringing the CO2 front to the surface of the reinforcing bars. Thus, the “rate of carbonation” of the concrete cover is characterized by and linked to the length of service life of concrete structures. The studies on how much CO2 is fixed by the hydrated phases are scarce and even less has been studied the influence of the type of cement. In present work, 15 cements were used to fabricate paste and concrete specimens withwater/cement (w/c) ratios of 0.6 and ...

Effects of temperature, humidity and CO 2 concentration on carbonation of cement-based materials: A review

Construction and Building Materials, 2022

For in situ reinforced concrete structures, carbonation has been considered as a risk that needs to be inhibited for the past decades; while a pronounced carbonation in early age concretes is now regarded as a good method to reduce carbon footprint for civil engineering industry, and needs to be promoted. Therefore, a thorough understanding on controlling the extent of carbonation in various types of concretes and at different stages needs to be delivered, so as to meet the opposite demands in various cases. By controlling environmental conditions, including temperature, humidity and CO 2 concentration, different degrees of carbonation can be achieved. However, even though significant amount of carbonation works have been carried out, there is still a lack of a unified conclusion and summary discussion on the impacts from external factors. In this review, impacts of temperature, humidity, CO 2 concentration and their coupling effects on carbonation of concretes are summarised, aiming to facilitate promotion a

New Test Method to Obtain pH Profiles due to Carbonation of Concretes Containing Supplementary Cementitious Materials

Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 2007

The writers have carried out an investigation to develop apparent pH profiles of concretes for a variety of cement blends viz. normal portland cement containing by mass 30% pulverized fuel ash, 50% ground granulated blast-furnace slag, 10% metakaolin, and 10% microsilica, chosen to replicate common replacement levels, along with 100% normal portland cement ͑OPC͒ mix. The samples were exposed in an accelerated carbonation environment ͑5% CO 2 ͒ for 6 weeks during which pH profiles were obtained every week as the concrete carbonated. Measurement of air permeability, carbonation depth, resistivity, and calcium hydroxide content were performed to assist in interpretation of the results. The nature of the pH profiles obtained depended on both the type of binder and the duration of exposure to the carbonation environment. Utilizing the pH profiles, a rate of carbonation was determined, which was found to depend on the type of binder. Both the rate of carbonation and the depth of carbonation after 6 weeks of exposure indicated that OPC concrete performed better than concretes containing supplementary cementitious materials. It was also determined that the gas permeability alone cannot provide an accurate indication of the likely rate of carbonation. The thermogravimetric analysis suggests the existence of a relationship between calcium hydroxide content and the apparent pH of carbonated concretes. On the basis of the results in this paper, it can be concluded that the pH profiles, using the technique described in this paper, can be used for measuring the carbonation resistance of concretes containing supplementary cementitious materials.

Phase assemblage and microstructure of cement paste subjected to enforced, wet carbonation

Cement and Concrete Research, 2020

Carbonation of fines from recycled concrete can significantly lower the CO 2 footprint of concrete. Benefits of this approach come from fines' abundance, easiness of carbonation and their potential reactivity upon carbonation. The mechanisms of enforced carbonation have been investigated in this work. By carbonating well hydrated, dried and ground cement paste in an aqueous solution, it is found that portlandite initially reacts with the dissolved CO 2 and upon its depletion, other hydrates progressively decalcify. The main carbonation products are calcite and an alumina-silica gel rich in alkalis. The gel has an amorphous structure similar to silica gel, including a range of different Q n (mAl) environments according to 29 Si NMR. Calcite precipitates mainly in the space occupied by the solution and on the surface of grains of the paste. Al and Si from the hydrates do not diffuse out of the grains and remain in the space occupied initially by the hydrates.

Carbonation of model cement pastes: The mineralogical origin of microstructural changes and shrinkage

Cement and Concrete Research, 2021

This study explored the reactive processes of atmospheric carbonation and the consequences with respect to cementitious materials. Two model pastes were used: hydrated C 3 S (including C-S-H and portlandite) and a paste prepared by hydrating a blend of C 3 S and nanosilica (including C-S-H only). The two pastes were carbonated under accelerated conditions in the laboratory. The resulting mineralogical assemblage was examined using Xray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance. The microstructural changes were studied by X-ray tomography and porosimetry, and their macroscopic impacts were evaluated through gas diffusion and shrinkage measurements. The use of model pastes allowed for the evaluation of the change in solid volume induced by the carbonation of C-S-H. C-S-H decalcification and subsequent silica chain polymerisation were found responsible for carbonation shrinkage (and potentially cracking). Finally, the results highlight the protective role of portlandite: portlandite helped in limiting C-S-H decalcification and then reducing carbonation shrinkage and cracking.

Changes in microstructure characteristics of cement paste on carbonation

Cement and Concrete Research, 2018

This study investigates the influence of carbonation on the microstructure of cement paste cast with Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), fly ash based Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) and Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC 3) using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and mercury intrusion porosimeter (MIP). A comparison is made between samples exposed to 3% carbon dioxide concentration and those exposed to natural CO 2 concentrations. It is observed that the products formed on carbonation are similar in both the exposure conditions. Distinct rims corresponding to decalcified C-S-H are observed around clinker grains in the carbonated samples. Coarsening of pore structure is observed on carbonation in all the cements and an increase in the total porosity is observed in blended cements. Thermodynamic modeling indicates irrespective of the type of cement the total solid volume is reduced on complete carbonation. The volume change occurring on carbonation obtained from experimental results and thermodynamic modeling are compared.

Impact of carbonation on the durability of cementitious materials: water transport properties characterization

EPJ Web of Conferences, 2013

Within the context of long-lived intermediate level radioactive waste geological disposal, reinforced concrete would be used. In service life conditions, the concrete structures would be subjected to drying and carbonation. Carbonation relates to the reaction between carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and the main hydrates of the cement paste (portlandite and C-S-H). Beyond the fall of the pore solution pH, indicative of steel depassivation, carbonation induces mineralogical and microstructural changes (due to portlandite and C-S-H dissolution and calcium carbonate precipitation). This results in the modification of the transport properties, which can impact the structure durability. Because concrete durability depends on water transport, this study focuses on the influence of carbonation on water transport properties. In fact, the transport properties of sound materials are known but they still remain to be assessed for carbonated ones. An experimental program has been designed to investigate the transport properties in carbonated materials. Four hardened cement pastes, differing in mineralogy, are carbonated in an accelerated carbonation device (in controlled environmental conditions) at CO 2 partial pressure of about 3%. Once fully carbonated, all the data needed to describe water transport, using a simplified approach, will be evaluated.

Review of Carbonation Resistance in Hydrated Cement Based Materials

Journal of Chemistry

Blended cements are preferred to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in construction industry due to costs and technological and environmental benefits associated with them. Prevalence of significant quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere due to increased industrial emission is deleterious to hydrated cement materials due to carbonation. Recent research has shown that blended cements are more susceptible to degradation due to carbonation than OPC. The ingress of CO2 within the porous mortar matrix is a diffusion controlled process. Subsequent chemical reaction between CO2 and cement hydration products (mostly calcium hydroxide [CH] and calcium silicate hydrate [CSH]) results in degradation of cement based materials. CH offers the buffering capacity against carbonation in hydrated cements. Partial substitution of OPC with pozzolanic materials however decreases the amount of CH in hydrated blended cements. Therefore, low amounts of CH in hydrated blended cements make them mor...

Determination of CO2 capture during accelerated carbonation of engineered cementitious composite pastes by thermogravimetry

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 2019

The concerns about greenhouse gas emissions have triggered investigations among the scientific community. The accelerated carbonation curing has been used as a tool to capture CO 2 at early stages of cement-based material fabrication. In a previous study, the authors quantified the amount of CO 2 captured in portland cement pastes by thermal analysis, at high relative humidity precure conditions. In the present work, the authors quantified the amount of CO 2 captured in binary pastes derived from engineered cementitious composites (ECC), a family of composites worldwide used, whose one of their features is the precure at low relative humidity conditions. Two types of ECC pastes (1.2 and 2.2) were submitted to 4 h and 24 h of accelerated carbonation after 24 h of initial hydration. Using thermogravimetry and derivative thermogravimetry, the amounts of captured CO 2 and respective carbonation degrees were quantified. The results showed that ECC paste 1.2 presented the highest values of captured CO 2 and carbonation degree, considering all reactive components. In contrast, ECC paste 2.2 presented the highest values of these two parameters, when considering only portland cement as reactive component. For both pastes, the hydration degrees of the carbonated samples were higher than those of the noncarbonated references, indicating that in the used operating conditions, carbonation enhances ECC paste hydration.