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

11 Citations (Scopus)

64 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.

Funding

Geological Survey of Ireland; Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Laboratory Analysis Services in support of Geological Survey Ireland’s “Irish Construction Materials” Project: Concrete Products

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

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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, 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.",

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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, 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.

AB - 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.

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

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