Comparison of Two Methods to Assess the Resistance of Concrete to Chloride Ion Penetration

Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, Volume 26, Issue 4 (April 2014).

Eric Ryan ¹,  Edwin Burdette ²,  Ryan Ankabrandt³; Robert Nidiffer⁴; Brian Buchanan⁵.

 

¹Project Engineer, Vertex Construction Services, 400 Libbey Parkway, Weymouth, MA 02189 and

²Fred N. Peebles Professor of Civil Engineering, Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-2010 (corresponding author). E-mail: [email protected] and

³1204 Lambeth Place, Kingsport, TN 37660, formerly; Graduate Research Assistant, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-2010 and

⁴Structural Engineer, Tennessee Valley Authority, 7064 Ely Ford Place, Hixon, TN 37343 and

⁵Structural Engineer, CH2MHill, Oak Ridge, TN.

 

Abstract

 

The industry standard currently accepted method for assessing the resistance of concrete to penetration of chloride ions is commonly known as the rapid chloride permeability (RCP) test. The test is time-consuming and laborious and the user must be extremely careful to ensure accuracy, making it problematic for inclusion as a performance variable in a concrete specification. A potential alternative to the RCP test is the surface resistivity (SR) test, a method that is dramatically easier, faster, and requires far less special care than the RCP test. The research reported herein was directed toward determining a correlation between RCP and SR test measurements for Tennessee bridge deck concrete (based on cylinders collected from concrete bridge decks being constructed across the state) and evaluating the appropriateness of the SR test as an alternative to the RCP test for inclusion in a specification for bridge deck concrete. Results of the testing showed a clear correlation between the two methods and identified potential limits for possible inclusion as a performance requirement in a specification.

 

Go To Journal