The Influence of Activator Composition on the Strength, Shrinkage and Chloride Migration Resistance of Alkali-Activated Slag Mortars

Alkali-activated slag materials are known for their high chloride penetration resistance. This makes them potentially applicable as repair systems for damaged steel-reinforced concrete structures, which are exposed to chloride attack. For this purpose, the influence of the activator composition, i.e. the SiO2 and Na2O concentration of the alkaline solution on a) the compressive strength, b) shrinkage and mass change and c) the resistance against chloride penetration of four alkali-activated slag mortars (AASM) were studied. An ordinary Portland cement-based mortar was used as the reference sample. Increasing SiO2 and Na2O concentrations increased the strength, shrinkage and mass loss of the AASMs. The resistance of the mortars against chloride penetration was evaluated using the non-steady-state migration coefficient Dnssm obtained from NT BUILD 492. The results indicate that the Dnssm is related to differences in the pore solution of the AASMs rather than to differences in their microstructure. An upcoming study of the authors is going to evaluate this hypothesis by the accelerated chloride penetration (diffusion) test.