Durability properties of polymer-modified lightweight fly ash aggregate concretes

The aim of this thesis is to examine the durability properties of natural rubber latex (NRL) modified lightweight concretes (LWCs). The LWC was produced from lightweight fine and coarse aggregates (LWAs) which are manufactured by cold bonding of class F fly ash. The NRL which is an elastic hydrocarbon polymer was used as an addition in the concrete production as 2% and 5% of the weight of total binder content (400 kg/m3), considering the solid polymer content. The observed properties of polymer modified concretes are evaluated by rapid chloride permeability test (RCPT), soaking, test, and water sorptivity and corrosion current density by linear polarization resistance (LPR) test. Moreover, the LWCs were tested for compressive strength to determine mechanical performance. The tests were carried out at the end of 28 and 90 days of curing. However, the specimens used for soaking test were immersed in NaCl solution after 28 days of curing and tested for chloride ion penetration at different intervals. Moreover, the reinforced LWCs used for LPR test were immersed in NaCl solution and tested at specified periods of chloride exposures. The results indicated that the modification of the lightweight concretes with NRL resulted in improvement of the durability related properties of LWCs.