Project 9

Title:

Model of sulfate attack and leaching

Partners:

Heidelberg Cement AG, Germany
OXAND S.A., France
University of Aberdeen, UK

Starting date:

March 1, 2006

Objectives:

State of the Art : In the field the ingress of sulfate ions is accompanied by the leaching of hydroxide and calcium ions, which lead to softening of the matrix. At present there exists no practical models to account for these coupled transport processes, the accompanying reactions and mechanical changes.
Objective and Innovation : The understanding from the other projects (1, 2, 3, 4, 6) will be used to provide the basis for a simplified model – evolution of degradation fronts, precipitation of species and mechanical consequences, which will be calibrated against data from field samples. Collaboration with Heidelberg will provide the means to proof the model developed.