FREEZING AND THAWING TESTS OF CONCRETE

THE SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF THIS INVESTIGATION ARE COVERED BY THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: (1) WHAT WEATHERING CONDITIONS ARE THE MAJOR FACTORS CAUSING DETERIORATION OF CONCRETE?, (2) TO WHAT CYCLE OF FREEZING AND THAWING MAY CONCRETE BE SUBJECTED IN SERVICE?, (3) HOW SHALL THE DETERIORATION OF CONCRETE SUBJECTED TO FREEZING AND THAWING BE MEASURED?, (4) WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS CURING TREATMENTS PRIOR TO FREEZING?. (5) WHAT CYCLE OF FREEZING AND THAWING SHOULD BE USED?, AND (6) CAN THE EFFECT OF AGGREGATES ON THE DURABILITY OF CONCRETE BE PREDICTED BY A FREEZING AND THAWING TEST? THE REPORT OFFERS SOME DATA OBTAINED IN CONNECTION WITH RESEARCH DIRECTED TOWARD PRODUCING A YARDSTICK BY WHICH SOME ACCELERATED MEASURE OF CONCRETE DURABILITY MAY BE OBTAINED. THE DATA PRESENTED ARE BASED ON TESTS MADE ON CONCRETES FABRICATED FROM A FIXED MORTAR OF GOOD QUALITY AND COARSE AGGREGATES OF VARYING QUALITY. THE FREEZING THAWING CYCLE USED IS OF A FIXED LENGTH OF 12 HOURS, USING VARYING THAWING AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES. THE NEEDS FOR COOPERATIVE STANDARDIZATION WORK IN THIS FIELD AND ACCURATE CONTROL OF TEST CONDITIONS ARE STRESSED. /AUTHOR/