Experimental Method for Evaluating the Reactivity of Alkali-Carbonate Reaction Activity

The main aim of this study was focused on the Method of testing alkali-carbonate reaction activity to avoid alkali-carbonate reaction damage. In this paper, the alkali-carbonate reaction activity and alkali-silica reaction activity of ten kinds of aggregates were determined and analysed by existing standards and methods, by making specimens with aggregates of 2.5–5 mm and 5–10 mm particle size, cured in 1 mol/L tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide solution at 60^◦C and 80^◦C. Tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide solution was used to exclude the expansion caused by alkali-silica reaction. Effects of aggregate particle size and curing temperature on the expansion of samples were systematically investigated to determine alkali-carbonate reactivity of aggregates. In order to explore the relationship between stress and strain of aggregates, these aggregates were prepared into compacted bodies to test their stress and try to discover the pattern. The results showed that the expansion of the mould specimen prepared by the aggregate of 5–10 mm particle size, cured in 1 mol/L tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide solution at 80^◦C was greater than 0.1% after 42 days, which could be used as a reference criterion to determine the alkali-carbonate reaction activity of the aggregate. In addition, the expansion stress test suggest that the alkali-carbonate reaction can generate expansion stress. The expansion stress of aggregates with alkali-carbonate reaction activity were much larger than that of aggregates without alkali-carbonate reaction activity. Through SEM and EDX analysis of the products of the alkali-carbonate reaction, it was shown that the dolomite crystals in the dolomitic aggregates reacted with the TMAH solution and resulted in alkali-carbonate reaction, forming calcite and brucite.