Title:
Alkali-Silica Reaction in Marine Piles
Author(s):
Thomas E. Spencer and Albert J. Blaylock
Publication:
Concrete International
Volume:
19
Issue:
1
Appears on pages(s):
59-62
Keywords:
chemical attack; cracking (fracturing); harbor structures; marine atmospheres; petrography; underwater structures;
DOI:
Date:
1/1/1997
Abstract:
The subject of alkali-silica reaction in concrete has been treated extensively in engineering literature. However, most articles on this subject have been devoted to the reaction in an above-water environment, with very little published regarding the reaction in a saltwater environment. Unfortunately, this has led to a misunderstanding of the performance of concrete elements, particularly piling, in saltwater. A great deal has been written regarding the ravages of the sulfate and chloride ions in saltwater and their effect on concrete structures, but the amplifying effect of saltwater immersion on the alkali-silica reaction appears to be virtually unknown. This article is intended to illustrate how we became aware of this fact.