Performance of
concrete, in
terms of chloride penetration, subjected to severe marine condition is
investigated
in a full-scale laboratory exposure test. Two types of concrete,
one with ordinary Portland cement alone and the other blended with blast
furnace slag cement, cured with different conditions, were tested. Specimens
were exposed to wetting/drying and heating/cooling cycles simulating the tidal
zone of marine structures with daily
temperature variations. Results show that
temperature variations accelerate
chloride penetration substantially. High
chloride resistance in slag concrete specimens was observed compared to
Portland concrete. While concrete with normal Portland cement was adversely
affected by elevated temperature curing, the slag cement concrete was less
susceptible to curing conditions. Concrete with slag cement appeared to stand
much longer in the tropical marine environment than ordinary Portland cement
concrete.