Carbonation as an Indicator of Crack Age: Information on Carbonation Products, Means for Detecting Carbonation, and Carbonation as a Concrete Chronometer

Concrete carbonation determination, usually made during petrographic examinations, is an important step during deterioration-contribution mechanism investigations. The authors explore determining crack age through carbonation depth at a crack, and carbonation products. Using carbonation as a possible concrete chronometer is discussed, since carbonation depth (D) and concrete exposure time to CO sub 2 (t) are related by the equation D=K√t, with a carbonation coefficient of K. Other potential alternative crack age indicators are presented.