Probabilistic Model to Predict the Durability of Concrete Affected by Salt Crystallization

Abstract

The architectural heritage of the 1950s, mainly built in reinforced concrete, currently presents serious problems of degradation in the structural members more exposed to environmental aggressiveness. One cause of degradation of the porous material is the presence of sulfates in the water whose crystallization causes microfractures inside itself with subsequent detachment of surface layers. It is important to be able to predict the evolutionary trend of such damage on the basis of the composition of the concrete in order to improve its performance. The uncertainties inherent in the phenomenon of degradation suggest a probabilistic approach to this problem. Therefore, to study the decay produced by the presence of sulfates in concrete structures, accelerated durability laboratory tests on concrete specimens were carried out. This decay, quantified in a laboratory through a laser-triangulation profilometer, provided the basis on which a probabilistic modeling of the evolution of durability over time was developed.