2015 Volume 26 Pages 1-9
In this study, meso-scale thin mortar specimens were immersed in a sulfuric acid solution for 60 days and then subjected to three-point bending tests and shear tests to clarify the mechanical behaviors of mortar in containing cement hydrates transubstantiated under sulfate attack. In particular, tensile behaviors, namely elastic modulus, tensile strength and fracture energy, and shear strength, were determined from the load-displacement curves using back analysis and shear tests, respectively. Following the mechanical tests, chemical analyses were also carried out to clarify how the amount of hydrates, which were quantities of CH and C-S-H, the existence of precipitates, porosity and pore volume distribution affect mechanical characteristics. As a result, it was found that the relationships between physico-chemical properties and elastic modulus and tensile strength differ from the relationships between physico-chemical properties and fracture energy and shear strength. Furthermore, the applicability of the proposed model based on the relationships between porosity and strength was verified through comparison of the calculated and experimental results.
