Effect of real climatic conditions on freeze-thaw induced damage of concrete

The analysis of German weather data from 1996 to 2019 reveals a development in climate towards freeze-thaw exposure conditions which are detrimental to concrete durability. This trend may intensify freeze-thaw attack in future and lead to more internal and/or external damage in concrete structures. This contribution considers the inclusion of real climate conditions in laboratory simulations. Weather data were recorded and compared with depth-resolved measurements of humidity and temperature in concrete samples stored at the median site of an expressway. The strength of attack depends mainly on the amount of damaging freeze-thaw cycles (minimum temperature < -5°C in combination with moisture). In addition, the salt content of the contact water, minimum temperature and thickness of the ice layer on the concrete surface are decisive. Experiments show that internal and to a minor degree also external damage increase due to lower heating rates. The exposure of the sample itself (i.e. compass direction and removal of snow) affects the resulting damage evolution significantly. In order to save resources and enable the production of more sustainable concrete structures, current accelerated tests need to be adapted to real climatic conditions.