Sulfate attack of cement-based material with limestone filler exposed to different environments

Mortar prisms made with OPC cement plus 30% mass of limestone filler were stored in various sulfate solutions at different temperatures for periods of up to 1 year, the visual appearance was inspected at intervals, and the flexural and compressive strength development with immersion time was measured according to the Chinese standard GB/T17671-1999. Samples were selected from the surface of prisms after 1 year immersion and examined by x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), laser-raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that MgSO ₄ solution is more aggressive than Na ₂SO ₄ solution, and Mg ²⁺ ions reinforce the thaumasite sulfate attack on the limestone filler cement mortars. The increase of solution temperature accelerates both magnesium attack and sulfate attack on the limestone filler cement mortar, and leads to more deleterious products including gypsum, ettringite and brucite formed on the surface of mortars after 1 year storage in sulfate solutions. Thaumasite forms in the mortars containing limestone filler after exposure to sulfate solutions at both 5 °C and 20 °C. It reveals that the thaumasite form of sulfate attack is not limited to low-temperature conditions.