Effect of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) on the freeze–thaw resistance of concrete: results of a RILEM interlaboratory study

Viktor Mechtcherine*, Christof Schröfl, Mateusz Wyrzykowski, Michaela Gorges, Pietro Lura, Daniel Cusson, Jim Margeson, Nele De Belie, Didier Snoeck, Kazuo Ichimiya, Shin Ichi Igarashi, Vyacheslav Falikman, Stefan Friedrich, Jürgen Bokern, Patricia Kara, Alicja Marciniak, Hans Wolf Reinhardt, Sören Sippel, António Bettencourt Ribeiro, João CustódioGuang Ye, Hua Dong, Jason Weiss

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

126 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This article presents the results of an interlaboratory experimental study performed by 13 international research groups within the framework of the activities of the RILEM Technical Committee 225-SAP “Applications of Superabsorbent Polymers in Concrete Construction”. Two commercially available superabsorbent polymers (SAP) were tested in terms of their influence on the freeze–thaw resistance of ordinary concrete. To test the robustness of the method, all participating laboratories used locally produced materials. Furthermore, following this aim, various accelerated methods were used to estimate the resistance of the concrete to freeze–thaw cycles. The effect of adding SAP was from insignificant to considerably positive in terms of improvement in material performance as determined by reduced mass loss after freeze–thaw cycles; only one participant observed worsening of the material behaviour. At the same time, due to the addition of SAP, a much less pronounced decrease in the dynamic Young’s modulus was observed as a result of freeze–thaw testing without deicing salt.

Original languageEnglish
Article number14
JournalMaterials and Structures/Materiaux et Constructions
Volume50
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2017

Keywords

  • Air-entraining agent
  • CDF test
  • CIF test
  • Deicing salt
  • Freeze–thaw
  • Frost resistance
  • Interlaboratory study
  • Scaling
  • Slab test
  • Superabsorbent polymer

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