Experimental study on compressive performance of concrete C40 in simulated acid environment

To investigate compressive performance of concrete corroded in the environment of acid rain, 3 kinds of mixed solutions of sulfuric acid and nitric acid with pH of 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 were prepared to simulate the environment of acid rain in the laboratory. Concrete C40 specimens were corroded by the mixed solutions. 3 series of accelerated corrosion tests were executed on concrete, including 246 concrete prisms and 108 control prisms specimens. Axial compressive strength, elastic modulus, mass and appearance of the corroded specimens were determined. It is shown that, under combined action of H⁺ and SO₄^2-, elastic modulus and axial compressive strength have a significant increase at the initial corrosion stage, however, the compressive performance of the concrete becomes worse with the increasing of corrosion duration, and the higher the concentration of the corrosive solution is, the more severe the specimens is damaged.