Investigating the penetration of water in low-carbon concrete using neutron radiography and tomography

Project Member(s): Thomas, P., Sirivivatnanon, V., Vessalas, K.

Funding or Partner Organisation: The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO Project funding)
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO Project funding)

Start year: 2023

Summary: Low-carbon concrete is an important development in the construction industry as it provides a sustainable alternative to traditional concrete, which is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. While low-carbon concrete offers many benefits, it can present challenges such as increased susceptibilty to corrosion of steel reinforcement, which may be an obstacle to the application of low-carbon concrete in the construction industry and, hence, inhibit the goal of reducing the embodied carbon in construction materials. For corrosion, water is required to provide the necessary environment for the electrochemical reactions to occur. Thus, investigating the permeability of low carbon concrete binders will help to identify their susceptibility to durability issues such as corrosion. The primary objective of this research is to analyse the rate and amount of water penetration in low-carbon concrete by utilizing neutron radiography and tomography with a view to investigating the susceptibility of low carbon concretes to durability issues.

FOR Codes: Construction materials, Construction materials performance and processes

Acknowledgement of Country

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