Accelerated Carbonation Depth Test In An Atmosphere Of 98% CO2

The action of atmospheric carbon dioxide is one of the agents which substantially reduce the durability of concrete structures. Th is so called carbonation is one of the corrosive processes influencing properties of mature concrete. It is caused by a chemical reaction of carbon dioxide infiltrating into the surface of a concrete construction with the minerals of cementing compound. The eff ect of carbonation can be evaluated by means of the “accelerated carbonation depth test in 98% CO₂”. The principle of this method consists in finding a correlation dependence of “depth (or time) of carbonation in the natural environment / depth (or time) of carbonation in the accelerated test”. The theoretical carbonation depth of common concrete placed in the natural environment of 0.03% CO₂ for a long time can be determined from the Fick's law. The actual carbonation depth of common concrete placed in 98% CO₂ can be determined by a simple phenolphthalein test on fresh fragments of standard concrete samples. The correlation dependence found in the so-called “accelerated test” enables us to determine intervals of real time in the natural environment of 0.03% CO₂corresponding to the intervals of accelerated exposition in 98% CO₂.