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Founded in 1904 and headquartered in Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA, the American Concrete Institute is a leading authority and resource worldwide for the development, dissemination, and adoption of its consensus-based standards, technical resources, educational programs, and proven expertise for individuals and organizations involved in concrete design, construction, and materials, who share a commitment to pursuing the best use of concrete.
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Home > Tools > Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What actions are needed to improve the abrasion resistance of concrete? A. Actions needed to resist abrasion depend on the type of structure and abrasive action to be resisted. For concrete floors, the mortar fraction needs to be resistant to abrasion (ACI 302.1R). Abrasion resistance of concrete is measured by different standard test procedures: ASTM C418, ASTM C779, ASTM C944, and ASTM C1138. For pavements, the surface texture should be preserved for skid resistance and drainage of surface water. A low w/cm and proper selection of polish resistant aggregate are needed. For hydraulic structures under water, under appropriate flow conditions and transport of debris, all of the construction materials currently being used are to some degree susceptible to abrasion. While improvements in materials should reduce the rate of damage, these alone will not solve the problem. Until the adverse hydraulic conditions that can cause abrasion-erosion damage are minimized or eliminated, it is extremely difficult for any of the construction materials currently being used to perform in the desired manner (ACI 210R). To reduce the rate of damage, however, use of a low w/cm and hard, strong aggregates with the largest practical size is recommended. High-strength silica fume concrete has exhibited excellent abrasion resistance under adverse exposure conditions (ACI 210.1R). References: SP-1(02); ACI 201.2R-16; ACI 302.1R-15; ACI 210R-93; ASTM C418; ASTM C779; ASTM C944; ASTM C1138 Topics in Concrete: Durability; Pavement; Silica Fume; Slab; Testing of Concrete
Q. What actions are needed to improve the abrasion resistance of concrete?
A. Actions needed to resist abrasion depend on the type of structure and abrasive action to be resisted. For concrete floors, the mortar fraction needs to be resistant to abrasion (ACI 302.1R). Abrasion resistance of concrete is measured by different standard test procedures: ASTM C418, ASTM C779, ASTM C944, and ASTM C1138. For pavements, the surface texture should be preserved for skid resistance and drainage of surface water. A low w/cm and proper selection of polish resistant aggregate are needed. For hydraulic structures under water, under appropriate flow conditions and transport of debris, all of the construction materials currently being used are to some degree susceptible to abrasion. While improvements in materials should reduce the rate of damage, these alone will not solve the problem. Until the adverse hydraulic conditions that can cause abrasion-erosion damage are minimized or eliminated, it is extremely difficult for any of the construction materials currently being used to perform in the desired manner (ACI 210R). To reduce the rate of damage, however, use of a low w/cm and hard, strong aggregates with the largest practical size is recommended. High-strength silica fume concrete has exhibited excellent abrasion resistance under adverse exposure conditions (ACI 210.1R).
References: SP-1(02); ACI 201.2R-16; ACI 302.1R-15; ACI 210R-93; ASTM C418; ASTM C779; ASTM C944; ASTM C1138
Topics in Concrete: Durability; Pavement; Silica Fume; Slab; Testing of Concrete
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