Defective homes in Donegal, Ireland: effect of exposure conditions and concrete quality on pyrrhotite oxidation and internal sulfate attack

Andreas Leemann; Beat  Münch; Barbara  Lothenbach; Frank Winnefeld; Paul Dunlop

doi:10.1016/j.cemconres.2024.107684

Defective homes in Donegal, Ireland: effect of exposure conditions and concrete quality on pyrrhotite oxidation and internal sulfate attack

Andreas Leemann, Beat Münch, Barbara Lothenbach, Frank Winnefeld, Paul Dunlop

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

21 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Thousands of homes in County Donegal, Ireland, built from concrete blocks, are
damaged by extensive cracks and crumbling that occurred a few years after
construction. Recently, research has shown that pyrrhotite oxidation triggering internal sulfate attack (ISA) is the cause. In this study, samples from the strip foundations, the rising blocks, the outer and inner leaf of one undamaged reference home and three affected homes are investigated. As these four structural components differ by concrete quality, exposure condition or both, their effect on ISA is investigated. All three damaged homes contained pyrrhotite in the aggregates, while it was absent in the reference home. ISA in the foundations is in an initial state. It has progressed further in the rising blocks and is most advanced in the outer leaf. Whilst carbonation limits the effects of ISA in the inner leaf, further pyrrhotite oxidation will create
expansion leading to ongoing deterioration.

Original language	English
Article number	107684
Pages (from-to)	1-17
Number of pages	17
Journal	Cement and Concrete Research
Volume	186
Early online date	24 Sept 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2024.107684
Publication status	Published online - 24 Sept 2024
Event	International Conference on Iron Sulfide Reactions in Concrete 2024 - Université Laval, Quebec, Canada Duration: 14 May 2024 → 17 May 2024 https://icisr.ca/

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors

Data Access Statement

Data will be made available on request.

Keywords

Concrete
pyrrhotite
internal sulfate attack
microstructure
cracking

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.cemconres.2024.107684Licence: CC BY

1-s2.0-S0008884624002655-mainFinal published version, 15.8 MBLicence: CC BY

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0008884624002655Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{28bf5eb678f84df9be59ef1d0e444230,

title = "Defective homes in Donegal, Ireland: effect of exposure conditions and concrete quality on pyrrhotite oxidation and internal sulfate attack",

abstract = "Thousands of homes in County Donegal, Ireland, built from concrete blocks, aredamaged by extensive cracks and crumbling that occurred a few years afterconstruction. Recently, research has shown that pyrrhotite oxidation triggering internal sulfate attack (ISA) is the cause. In this study, samples from the strip foundations, the rising blocks, the outer and inner leaf of one undamaged reference home and three affected homes are investigated. As these four structural components differ by concrete quality, exposure condition or both, their effect on ISA is investigated. All three damaged homes contained pyrrhotite in the aggregates, while it was absent in the reference home. ISA in the foundations is in an initial state. It has progressed further in the rising blocks and is most advanced in the outer leaf. Whilst carbonation limits the effects of ISA in the inner leaf, further pyrrhotite oxidation will createexpansion leading to ongoing deterioration.",

keywords = "Concrete, pyrrhotite, internal sulfate attack, microstructure, cracking",

author = "Andreas Leemann and Beat M{\"u}nch and Barbara Lothenbach and Frank Winnefeld and Paul Dunlop",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Authors; International Conference on Iron Sulfide Reactions in Concrete 2024, ICISR ; Conference date: 14-05-2024 Through 17-05-2024",

year = "2024",

month = sep,

day = "24",

doi = "10.1016/j.cemconres.2024.107684",

language = "English",

volume = "186",

pages = "1--17",

journal = "Cement and Concrete Research",

issn = "0008-8846",

publisher = "Elsevier",

url = "https://icisr.ca/",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Defective homes in Donegal, Ireland: effect of exposure conditions and concrete quality on pyrrhotite oxidation and internal sulfate attack

AU - Leemann, Andreas

AU - Münch, Beat

AU - Lothenbach, Barbara

AU - Winnefeld, Frank

AU - Dunlop, Paul

PY - 2024/9/24

Y1 - 2024/9/24

N2 - Thousands of homes in County Donegal, Ireland, built from concrete blocks, aredamaged by extensive cracks and crumbling that occurred a few years afterconstruction. Recently, research has shown that pyrrhotite oxidation triggering internal sulfate attack (ISA) is the cause. In this study, samples from the strip foundations, the rising blocks, the outer and inner leaf of one undamaged reference home and three affected homes are investigated. As these four structural components differ by concrete quality, exposure condition or both, their effect on ISA is investigated. All three damaged homes contained pyrrhotite in the aggregates, while it was absent in the reference home. ISA in the foundations is in an initial state. It has progressed further in the rising blocks and is most advanced in the outer leaf. Whilst carbonation limits the effects of ISA in the inner leaf, further pyrrhotite oxidation will createexpansion leading to ongoing deterioration.

AB - Thousands of homes in County Donegal, Ireland, built from concrete blocks, aredamaged by extensive cracks and crumbling that occurred a few years afterconstruction. Recently, research has shown that pyrrhotite oxidation triggering internal sulfate attack (ISA) is the cause. In this study, samples from the strip foundations, the rising blocks, the outer and inner leaf of one undamaged reference home and three affected homes are investigated. As these four structural components differ by concrete quality, exposure condition or both, their effect on ISA is investigated. All three damaged homes contained pyrrhotite in the aggregates, while it was absent in the reference home. ISA in the foundations is in an initial state. It has progressed further in the rising blocks and is most advanced in the outer leaf. Whilst carbonation limits the effects of ISA in the inner leaf, further pyrrhotite oxidation will createexpansion leading to ongoing deterioration.

KW - Concrete

KW - pyrrhotite

KW - internal sulfate attack

KW - microstructure

KW - cracking

UR - https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/28bf5eb6-78f8-4df9-be59-ef1d0e444230

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85204707924&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.cemconres.2024.107684

DO - 10.1016/j.cemconres.2024.107684

M3 - Article

SN - 0008-8846

VL - 186

SP - 1

EP - 17

JO - Cement and Concrete Research

JF - Cement and Concrete Research

M1 - 107684

T2 - International Conference on Iron Sulfide Reactions in Concrete 2024

Y2 - 14 May 2024 through 17 May 2024

ER -

Defective homes in Donegal, Ireland: effect of exposure conditions and concrete quality on pyrrhotite oxidation and internal sulfate attack

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Access Statement

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Research insights into the cause of Ireland's defective concrete crisis

Ulster Talks - Defective Concrete Conference 2025

The role of geological minerals in Ireland’s defective concrete block scandal

Investigation and Analysis of Concrete Blocks from Ireland

Petrographic Examination of Concrete Samples Removed from Four Residences in County Donegal, Ireland: CRT Report No. R-190

Université Laval: Laboratory Analysis Services in support of Geological Survey Ireland’s "Irish Construction Materials" Projects: Concrete Products

New DCB (defective concrete block) research must underpin future policy and decisions – McDermott

“Keep fighting, and hopefully the government will do the right thing” – DCB homeowner

Govt could have prevented concrete crisis but ignored EU Laws, expert tells Donegal conference

Cite this

Defective homes in Donegal, Ireland: effect of exposure conditions and concrete quality on pyrrhotite oxidation and internal sulfate attack

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Access Statement

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Activities

Research output

Press/Media

Cite this