Hydraulic cement concrete (hereafter referred to simply as concrete) is composed of aggregates bound together by a hydrated cement paste. Concrete contains a significant amount of porosity including small gel pores (0.5 to 10 nm in size) that are an intrinsic feature of the hydration products formed when water reacts with cement, capillary pores (10 nm to 10 μm in size) that are the remnant of the original waterfilled space that existed between the cementitious grains at the time of mixing, and much larger spherical air voids (0.05 to 1.25 mm in size) that were purposefully entrained in the concrete (Mindess, Young, and Darwin 2003). In addition, concrete contains irregularly shaped air voids that were entrapped during the mixing process. The entrained air component plays a critical role in ensuring the durability of the concrete and is the focus of this Tech Brief. It provides background on the mechanisms responsible for freeze-thaw damage, discusses the importance of critical saturation, and introduces specific strategies to better establish an acceptable entrained air-void system.
Concrete freeze-thaw durability is prominently linked to the air void system within the concrete.Concrete pavements in Kansas undergo repetitive freez...
Concrete freeze-thaw durability is prominently linked to the air void systemwithin the concrete. Concrete pavements in Kansas undergo repetitivefreeze...
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United States Department of Transportation
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