Determination of the chloride diffusion coefficient in mortars with supplementary cementitious materials

The Rapid Chloride Migration (RCM) test, described in the guideline NT Build 492, is one of the most commonly applied accelerated test methods in which chlorides penetrate the concrete at high rates due to the applied electrical field. The output result of the test is the chloride diffusion coefficient DRCM. Literature shows that the RCM test development and experience concerns only ordinary Portland cement. Therefore, a validation of this test method is needed also for other types of binders. This study analyzes the application of the RCM test on mortars prepared with different binder blends: ordinary Portland cement (OPC), ground granulated blast – furnace slag (GGBS), fly ash (FA) and silica fume (SF). The diffusion coefficients are obtained by two approaches: the basic RCM test model and the extended model which considers non-linear chloride binding in non-equilibrium. The analyses presented in this study show that the RCM test can be used for the determination of chloride diffusion coefficient in mortars with supplementary cementitious materials, and the accuracy of AgNO3 colourimetric method is sufficient for the determination of the chloride penetration front in these mortars.