Effect of hydrogen sulphide emissions on cement mortar specimens

The most corrosive agent that leads to the rapid deterioration of concrete floors in barns with underground manure storage tanks is hydrogen sulphide, which is generated from anaerobic fermentation of manure. One of the objectives of the research on corrosion in livestock buildings at the University of Guelph was to compare the corrosion resistance of different cement mortar specimens under long term exposure to hydrogen sulphide. Six treatments were tested in the laboratory using the impressed voltage technique, including Portland cement Type 10 with 0.45 water-cementing material ratio (W/C) (PC45), Portland cement Type 10 with 0.55 W/C (PC55), sulphate resistant Portland cement Type 50 (SRC) with 0.45 W/C, Portland cement with fibre mesh (FMC) with 0.45 W/C, silica fume cement (SFC) with W/C 0.35, and specimens containing Portland cement Type 10 (0.45 W/C) coated with linseed oil (PCL). The results of this study revealed that test specimens made with 8% silica fume cement replacements (SFC) performed best and similar Portland cement mortar specimens with a water-cement ratio of 0.55 (PC55) poorest. The other four treatments (PC45, SRC, FMC and PCL), all with water-cement ratios of 0.45, were less effective in preventing corrosion than treatment SFC.