Sulfate Attack - Diagnosis

The degradation of concrete as a result of sulfate attack can be seen in two very different forms.

• Expansion: The expansion of the concrete can cause serious structural problems like the displacement of a building wall due to a horizontal thrust caused by an expanding slab.
• Progressive Loss of Strength and Loss of Mass: This is due to the deterioration in the cohesiveness of the cement hydration products.

Symptoms of Sulfate Attack:

When sulfate attack occurs, the deteriorated concrete becomes mushy, porous and weak and can be easily reduced to a noncohesive, sandy mass. Other symptoms include spalling of the concrete surface and rebar exposure.