Title:
Physical Salt Attack on Concrete
Author(s):
Harvey Haynes, M.T. Bassuoni
Publication:
Concrete International
Volume:
33
Issue:
11
Appears on pages(s):
38-42
Keywords:
subflorescence, scaling, crystallization, supersaturation, sulfate attack
DOI:
Date:
11/1/2011
Abstract:
This article provides a brief review of physical salt attack (PSA) on concrete. PSA is often associated with concrete, stone, or brick elements in contact with wet soil containing dissolved salts (sodium sulfate, sodium carbonate, and sodium chloride or magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate, calcium chloride, and sodium nitrate). At the evaporation front, a given salt solution becomes supersaturated and the salts crystallize. Crystals that form below the surface (subflorescence) can result in surface scaling.