Microstructural Origins of Cement Paste Degradation by External Sulfate Attack

Published

October 15, 2015

Author(s)

Pan Feng, Edward Garboczi, Pan Feng, Jeffrey W. Bullard

Abstract

A microstructure model has been applied to simulate near-surface degradation of portland cement paste in contact with a sodium sulfate solution. This new model uses thermodynamic equilibrium calculations to guide both compositional and microstructure changes. It predicts localized deformation and the onset of damage by coupling the confined growth of new solids with linear thermoelastic finite element calculations of stress and strain fields. Constrained ettringite growth happens primarily at the expense of calcium monosulfoaluminate, carboaluminate and aluminum-rich hydrotalcite, if any, respectively. Expansion and damage can be mitigated chemically by increasing carbonate and magnesium concentrations or microstructurally by inducing a finer dispersion of monosulfate.

Citation

Construction and Building Materials

Volume

96

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

Local Download

Keywords

cement paste, microstructure, sulfate attack, computer modeling

Citation

Feng, P. , Garboczi, E. , Feng, P. and Bullard, J. (2015), Microstructural Origins of Cement Paste Degradation by External Sulfate Attack, Construction and Building Materials, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=916325 (Accessed October 28, 2025)