Mechanism and erosion resistance of internally cured concrete including super absorbent polymers against coupled effects of acid rain and fatigue load

Abstract This study explored a novel method for inhibiting the effects of acid rain erosion and fatigue loading in concrete by incorporating super absorbent polymers (SAP). Three different dosages and four particle sizes of SAP were considered to evaluate the erosion resistance to a simulated acid rain solution (pH = 3.0) for eight test cycles. The mass loss, compressive strength, flexural strength, and erosion depth as well as the results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) testing were employed to explore the erosion behavior and mechanism of the internally cured concrete with SAPs. The results show that the coupled effects of acid rain and fatigue loading has a remarkable influence on the performance degradation of concrete. The erosion of concrete by acid rain was delayed and weakened with the addition of SAP, particularly when 0.10% SAP was added with a particle size of 100–120 mesh. Moreover, the SAP promoted hydration, which lessened the deterioration caused by pore deformation and improved the internal pore structure.