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CHLORIDE ION PENETRATION TEST,

CARBONATION DEPTH TEST, AND SALT-
SCALING TEST

By Tarun R. Naik

Report No. CBU-2004-18

REP-566
August 2004

Presented at RILEM meeting, Koriyama, Japan, September 2004.

Department of Civil Engineering and Mechanics

College of Engineering and Applied Science
THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSINMILWAUKEE
Chloride Ion Penetration Test [1]

This test method (ASTM C 1202) covers the determination of the electrical conductance

of concrete to provide a rapid indication of its resistance to the penetration of chloride

ions. This test method is applicable to types of concrete where correlations have been

established between this test procedure and long-term chloride ponding procedures such

as those described in AASHTO T 259.

Test Method

This test method consists of monitoring the amount of electrical current passed through

2-in (51 - mm) thick slices of 4-in (102 - mm) nominal diameter cores or cylinders during

a six-hour period. A potential difference of 60 V DC is maintained across the ends of the

specimen, one of which is immersed in sodium chloride solution, the other in a sodium

hydroxide solution. The total charge passed, in coulombs, has been found to be related to

the resistance of the specimen to chloride ion penetration.

Sample preparation and selection depends on the purpose of the test. For evaluation of

materials or their proportions, samples may be cores from test slabs or from large

diameter cylinders or four-inch (102-mm) diameter cast cylinders. For evaluation of

structures, samples may be cores from the structure or four-inch (102-mm) diameter

cylinders cast and cured at the field site.

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Significance and Use

In most cases the electrical conductance results have shown good correlation with

chloride ponding tests, such as AASHTO T 259, on companion slabs cast from the same

concrete mixtures.

This test method is suitable for evaluation of materials and material proportions for

design purposes and research and development.

The numerical results (total charge passed, in coulombs) from this test method must be

used with caution, especially in applications such as quality control and acceptance

testing. The qualitative terms in Table 1 should be used in most cases.

Table 1: Chloride Ion Penetrability Based on Charge Passed

Charge Passed (coulombs) Chloride Ion Penetrability

> 4,000 High
2,000 - 4,000 Moderate
1,000 - 2,000 Low
100 - 1,000 Very Low
< 100 Negligible

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Measurement of hardened concrete carbonation depth [2]

Aim and Scope

The method of testing consists of determining the depth of the carbonated layer on the

surface of hardened concrete by means of an indicator. This method can be carried out

using specimens made in the laboratory, on specimens taken from completed structures

(site specimens), and for testing on site.

Tests on laboratory specimens are generally used for comparing the rate of carbonation in

concrete specimens with various mixtures, under defined conditions. Tests on site or

with site specimens are necessary, in general, to give information on the state of a

structure or structural member at a certain moment in time, under the conditions on site.

Because of possibly wide scattering of carbonation depths on site and because of the

various controlling factors, site tests are not suitable for comparing various concretes by

referring only the part tested.

In the case of tests using site specimens, the requirements for accuracy of measurement

are in general less severe than for laboratory specimens.

Carbonation affects various properties of hardened concrete. Primarily, the protection of

the reinforcing steel against corrosion decreases, which is originally guaranteed by the

highly alkaline pore solution of the cement paste. Climatic conditions leading to the

highest rate of carbonation are not identical with those which accelerate corrosion of

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steel. Other concrete properties, such as strength, permeability, and resistance to some

chemical and physical attacks, as well as shrinkage, are also affected by carbonation.

This recommendation is aimed at improving the comparability of carbonation tests. It is

not aimed at laying down optimal test conditions for special testing problems.

Definition

Carbon dioxide which penetrates the surface of concrete can react with alkaline

components in the cement paste, mainly Ca(OH)2. This process (carbonation) leads to a

reduction of the pH-value of the pore solution to less than nine. The depth of the

carbonated surface layer is called the depth of carbonation dk.

The reduction of the pH-value can be made visible by the color change of a suitable

indicator.

Test Materials

A solution of one percent of phenolphthalein in 70 % ethyl alcohol is suitable for

determining the depth of carbonation. Phenolphthalein turns non-carbonated concrete

red, and remains colorless in carbonated concrete.

Specimens: type, making, curing, and storage

Concrete prisms with a cross-section of 100 mm x 100 mm that can be split into lengths

of roughly 50 mm, for each date of testing, are suitable. For mortar, prisms 40 mm x 40

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mm x 160 mm are recommended from which a slice of roughly 20 mm is split off at each

date of testing. In no case shall the shortest dimension of the prism be less than three

times maximum aggregate size.

Climatic conditions of storage (relative humidity, amount of CO2 concentration, etc.)

must be precisely defined. Specimens may be stored indoors or out of doors. For indoor

storage roughly 0.03 percent CO2 concentration, a temperature of 20o C, and a relative

humidity of 65 % are recommended. Out of doors, storage under cover (protected against

rain) or without cover must be differentiated.

Salt-Scaling Test [3]

Scope

This test method (ASTM C 672) covers the determination of the resistance to scaling of a

horizontal concrete surface exposed to freezing and thawing cycles in the presence of

deicing chemicals. It is intended for use in evaluating this surface resistance qualitatively

by visual examination.

Significance and Use

This test method can be used to evaluate the effect of mixture proportioning, surface

treatment, curing, or other variables on resistance to scaling.

This test method is not intended to be used in determining the durability of aggregates or

other ingredients of the concrete.

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No relationship has been established between the frost immunity of specimens cut from

hardened concrete and specimens prepared in the laboratory.

Proportioning and Mixing

The air content, cement factor, slump, water-cementitious materials ratio, and other

characteristics of the concrete and its ingredients shall be those appropriate for the

purposes for which the tests are to be made.

Concrete with the following characteristics has been found useful for the purposes for

which this test method is generally used, such as evaluation of a surface treatment for

prevention of scaling:

(a) non-air-entrained;

(b) cement content, 335 5 kg/m3 (565 10 lb/yd3);

(c) slump, 75 15 mm (3 0.5 in.); and

(d) durable aggregate of 25-mm (1-in.) maximum size.

If air-entrained concrete is to be used for comparative purposes, it shall have the same

proportions as that with which it is being compared and the air content shall be 6 1 %

Specimens

Specimens shall have a surface area of at least 0.045 m2 (72 in.2) and be at least 75 mm

(3.0 in.) in depth. At least two duplicate specimens for each combination of variables to

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be tested shall be made.

Curing

For all concretes, remove the specimens from moist storage at the age of 14 days and

store in air for 14 days at 23 2 oC (73.5 3.5 oF) and 45 to 55 % relative humidity.

Procedure

After completion of moist and air curing:

Cover the top surface of specimens with 6 mm (1/4 in.) of a solution of calcium

chloride and water, having a concentration such that each 100 mL of solution

contains 4 g of anhydrous calcium chloride.

Place specimens in a freezing environment for 16 to 18 hour. At the end of this

time remove them from the freezer and place them in laboratory air at 23 2 oC

(73.5 3.5 oF) and relative humidity of 45 to 55 % for 6 to 8 hour. Add water

between each cycle as necessary to maintain the proper depth of the chloride

solution. Repeat this cycle daily, flushing off the surface thoroughly at the end of

each 5 cycles. After making visual examination, totally replace the solution and

continue the test.

Either keep specimens frozen during any interruption in the daily cycling or

maintain them in a damp condition after removal of solution and flushing

surfaces.

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References

1. Annual book of ASTM Standards, 2003, ASTM C 1202 Standard Test Method

for Electrical Indication of Concrete's Ability to Resist Chloride Ion Penetration,

Vol. 04.02, pp. 650 - 655.

2. Measurement of hardened concrete carbonation depth, November - December

1988, Materials and Structures, Vol. 21, No. 126, pp. 56 - 58.

3. Annual book of ASTM Standards, 2003, ASTM C 672 Standard Test Method for

Scaling Resistance of Concrete Surfaces Exposed to Deicing Chemicals, Vol.

04.02, pp. 353 - 355.