Effectiveness of sealers in counteracting alkali-silica reaction in plain and air-entrained laboratory concretes exposed to wetting and drying, freezing and thawing, and salt water

Low- and high-alkali, plain and air-entrained large concrete cylinders, 255 mm in diameter by 310 mm in length, were made with a highly alkali–silica reactive limestone. After curing, a number of cylinders were sealed with silane, oligosiloxane, polysiloxane, linseed oil, or epoxy, with others subjected to 179 freezing and thawing cycles in humid air (one cycle per day). All cylinders were then subjected to 14-day exposure cycles, including in the most severe case periods of humid storage in air, drying, wetting in salt water, and freezing and thawing cycles. All low-alkali specimens did not either expand or develop surface cracking, even those with a deficient air void system and exposed to freezing and thawing cycles. All unsealed high-alkali cylinders subjected early to a series of freezing and thawing cycles did not significantly expand during these cycles, but presented high expansion afterwards. Wetting and drying significantly reduced alkali–silica reaction (ASR) expansion compared with constant humid storage; however, it promoted map-cracking. Regardless of the air content, freezing and thawing increased greatly the concrete expansion in the presence of ASR, even after ASR was almost complete; freezing and thawing also greatly promoted surface cracking. On the other hand, all cylinders early sealed with silane, oligosilixane, or polysiloxane did not either significantly expand or show map-cracking, whatever the exposure conditions and the air content; these cylinders progressively lost mass with time. On the other hand, the epoxy resin was not effective. The linseed oil prevented map-cracking while significantly reducing expansion, however not sufficiently. After one or 1.5 years, some expanding cylinders were sealed with silane, oligosiloxane, or polysiloxane; they started to loose mass and contracted immediately after being sealed, whatever the exposure conditions. The results obtained thus indicate that a good sealer may greatly improve the aesthetic appearance (e.g., map-cracking) and stop expansion of ASR-affected concrete elements of 255 mm or less in thickness, made with a water-to-cement ratio in the range of 0.50, and exposed to wetting and drying, freezing and thawing, and salt water.Key words: air entrained, alkali–silica reaction, concrete, cracking, expansion, freezing and thawing, sealer, silane, siloxane, wetting and drying.