Corrosion due to Chloride-Ion Ingress in Concrete Produced with Alternative Cementitious Materials

Corrosion performance was assessed on ten concrete mixtures produced with various combinations of portland cement (OPC) and either calcium aluminate (CAC) or calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement. Several reinforced beams were cast and preconditioned with an induced crack, precarbonated, or left untreated prior to chloride exposure. Additionally, the apparent chloride diffusion coefficient and bulk electrical resistivity were measured. Results showed low to moderate corrosion activity for all samples regardless of precondition. The CSA samples showed higher chloride diffusion compared to CAC, OPC, and blended samples (OPC with CSA and OPC with CAC). Bulk electrical resistivity was not effective in assessing chloride penetrability.