ABSTRACT
The service life of concrete infrastructure is a key parameter considered for its sustainability, which is dependent on its performance against various deterioration mechanisms, such as freeze-thaw cycles, carbonation, corrosion, alkali-silica reaction (ASR), etc. While these deterioration mechanisms have been widely studied, the design of durable concrete remains a challenge, since the deterioration in real life is usually ascribed to more than one mechanism. This paper specifically reviews the deterioration mechanisms related to ASR and chloride exposure, focusing on the single-mechanism standards and testing methods as well as previous experience in characterizing and understanding the coupled degradation associated with the two mechanisms.
The literature presents conflicting findings on the impact of ASR on concrete in chloride-rich environments, which significantly varied with testing parameters such as temperature, specimen type, exposure concentrations, and testing duration contributing to these discrepancies. These inconsistencies create challenges in comparing results across studies. Additionally, research gaps are identified in understanding the effects of coupled degradation mechanisms of ASR and chloride ingress on concrete.
