Mineralogical characterization of dolomitic aggregate concrete: the Camarasa Dam (Catalonia, Spain)

The Camarasa Dam was built in 1920 using dolomitic aggregate and Portland cement with two different compositions: type A (dolomite and Portland cement) and type B (dolomite and sand-cement). The sand cement was a finely powdered mixture of dolomite particles and clinker of Portland cement. The miner...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: García Vílchez, Encarnación, Alfonso Abella, María Pura|||0000-0002-1515-4999, Tauler Ferré, Esperança
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2020
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/179327
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/179327
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/min10020117
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Mineralogy
Concrete
Dolomite
Sand-cement
Dedolomitization reaction
Mineralogia
Formigó
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria dels materials
Descripción
Sumario:The Camarasa Dam was built in 1920 using dolomitic aggregate and Portland cement with two different compositions: type A (dolomite and Portland cement) and type B (dolomite and sand-cement). The sand cement was a finely powdered mixture of dolomite particles and clinker of Portland cement. The mineralogy of concrete was studied by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray powder diffraction. Reaction of dedolomitization occurred in the two types of concrete of the Camarasa Dam, as demonstrated by the occurrence of calcite, brucite, and/or absence of portlandite. In the type A concrete, calcite, brucite, and a serpentine-group mineral precipitated as a rim around the dolomite grains and in the paste. The rims, a product of the dedolomitization reaction, protected the surface of dolomite from the dissolution process. In type B concrete, in addition to dolomite and calcite, quartz and K-feldspar were present. Brucite occurred in lower amounts than in the type A concrete as fibrous crystals randomly distributed in the sand-cement paste. Although brucite content was higher in the type A concrete, type B showed more signs of loss of durability. This can be attributed to the further development of the alkali-silica reaction in this concrete type.