Junzhe Liu

The crack and carbonation of concrete pose a great challenge to its durability. Therefore, this paper studies the effect of cracks on the carbonation depth of cement paste under different factors. The relationship between carbonation and cracks was determined, and the carbonation mechanism of cement paste with cracks was clarified. The results show that a small water–binder ratio can effectively inhibit the carbonation process. The bidirectional carbonation enlarged the carbonation area around the crack. Within 21 days of the carbonation, the carbonation depth increased with carbonation time, and the Ca(OH)₂ on the surface of the specimen was sufficient, allowing for a convenient chemical reaction with CO₂. The influence of crack width on the carbonation process at the crack was greater than the influence of the crack depth. Carbonation influenced the hydration of cement-based materials, altering the types and quantities of hydration products. In conclusion, accurately predicting the regularity of carbonation in cracked structures is critical for improving the durability of concrete.

To compare the corrosion inhibition behaviors of rust inhibitors with different mechanisms on steel bars, the rust resistance effect of sodium molybdate (Na₂MoO₄), sodium chromate (Na₂CrO₄), benzotriazole (BTA), N-N dimethyl ethanolamine, sodium molybdate (Na₂MoO₄) + benzotriazole (BTA), and sodium chromate (Na₂CrO₄) + benzotriazole (BTA) on steel bars in a simulated chloride concrete pore solution was studied. The rust resistance effects of different types of rust inhibitors were assessed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of different types of rust inhibitors on the film formation characteristics of a passive film on a steel bar surface were expounded. The results show that: When sodium molybdate (Na₂MoO₄) and benzotriazole (BTA) acted together, the impedance value and the capacitive reactance arc radius were the largest, and the density of the passive film and the inhibition efficiency were the highest. The composition of the passive film was primarily composed of iron compounds, and it also contained oxide and adsorption films that were formed on the steel bar surface by the rust inhibitors. The rust resistance effect was proportional to the compactness of the passive film.

Solutions are needed to solve the problem of a large amount of construction solid waste and a shortage of natural aggregate (coarse and fine aggregates). In this paper, simple-crushed coarse aggregate (SCRCA) and simple-crushed fine aggregate (SCRFA) were obtained by simple-crushing of construction solid waste. On this basis, SCRCA and SCRFA were treated with particle-shaping to obtain particle-shaping coarse aggregate (PSRCA) and particle-shaping fine aggregate (PSRFA), and the recycled powder (RP) produced in the process of particle-shaping was collected. Under the condition of a 1:4 cement-sand ratio, RP was used to replace cement with four substitution rates of 0, 10%, 20%, and 30%, and dry-mixed masonry mortar was prepared with 100% SCRFA, PSRFA, and river sand (RS). The basic and mechanical properties and microstructure of hydration products of dry-mixed mortar were analyzed, and the maximum substitution rate of RP was determined. Under the condition that the amount of cementitious material is 400 kg/m³ and the RP is at the maximum replacement rate, three different aggregate combinations to prepare concrete are the 100% use of SCRCA and SCRFA, PSRCA and PSRFA, and RS and natural aggregate (NCA); the workability, mechanical properties, and aggregate interface transition zone of the prepared concrete were analyzed. The results show that when the replacement rate of RP is less than 20%, it has little effect on the properties of products. The performance of PSRCA and PSRFA after treatment is better than that of SCRCA and SCRFA. Under different RP substitution rates, the performance of dry-mixed mortar prepared with PSRFA is very close to that prepared with RS. The performance of recycled concrete prepared with PSRCA and PSRFA is also very close to that of products prepared with NCA and RS. The failure morphology of PSRCA and RSRFA concrete is also similar to that of NCA and RS concrete.

In this paper, the properties of sulphoaluminate based recycled concrete, with high workability and low and medium strength, prepared by recycled powder (RP), recycled coarse aggregate (RCA), and high belite sulphoaluminate cement (HBSAC), were systematically studied. Under the condition of a water binder ratio of 0.45, sulphoaluminate based recycled concrete, with different mix proportions, was prepared by replacing sulphoaluminate cement with RP and natural coarse aggregate (NCA) with RCA. The workability, mechanical properties, durability, and hydration products of the prepared concrete were analyzed. The results showed that when RP and RCA were used together, the workability of recycled concrete could fully meet the pumping demand in actual construction. When the mass replacement rate of RP was less than 30% and that of RCA was less than 20%, the strength of recycled concrete could completely reach the design strength grade, while those that did not reach the design strength grade could reach the next grade. The durability performance was also good.

The electrical resistance and polarization effect of cement paste containing reinforcement were tested to research the anti-corrosion properties of steel bars in cement paste. Moreover, the microstructure and composition of passivation film and rust on the steel bars were studied. The water–cement ratio of the cement paste in this study was 0.3, with 0.5% NaCl, 1% NaNO₂, and 1% Benzotriazole, and an assembly unit of 0.5% NaNO₂ + 0.5% Benzotriazole by mass of cement was added to the cement to provide a chloride environment. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were applied to research the composition of the passivation film and the microstructure of the cement paste, respectively. The results indicated that the samples with the assembly unit of 0.5% NaNO₂ + 0.5% Benzotriazole showed the highest electrical resistance and polarization electrical resistance, while the specimens with 1.0% Benzotriazole showed the lowest electrical resistance and polarization electrical resistance. Moreover, the passivation film of steel bars weakened with increasing distance from the surface of the steel bars. Therefore, the corrosion of steel bars becomes more serious with increasing distance. Finally, the influence of the rust inhibitor on the corrosion resistance of steel bars in the specimens decreased in the following order: 0.5% NaNO₂ + 0.5% Benzotriazole >1.0% NaNO₂>1.0% Benzotriazole.