PFA concrete: Chloride ingress and corrosion in carbonated cover

The Paper describes a study into the effect on chloride ingress through concrete and on reinforcement corrosion when the cover is carbonated. The process of carbonation was carried out in an accelerated exposure before the introduction of the test specimens to a chloride environment. The results indicate that carbonation of concrete significantly reduces its resistance to chlorides. The improved performance generally associated with pulverized-fuel ash (PFA), against chloride diffusion, is depleted in such conditions. An attempt is made to quantify the acceleration of damage that occurs in structures when concrete comes under attack from both processes.