Durability of modified sulfur concrete in sewerage environment

This study verifies and validates the superiority of sulfur concrete (SC) over the ordinary Portland cement concrete (PCC) and sulfate-resistant concrete (SRC) in sewer harsh environments. A field study was performed in an actual sewage environment, specifically at the sewer’s gas and sludge environments. Performance of the PCC, SRC and two types of SC was assessed after 3, 6, 10, 18 and 24 months of exposure. Specimen’s durability was evaluated through physical appearance, change in weight and mechanical and hydraulic properties. The microstructure and the composition of the specimens were studied by means of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Attempts have been made to explain the mechanism of deterioration, the basic chemical interactions involved in the deterioration processes and the effect of such interactions on the concrete and reinforcing steel. It was found that SC is highly resistant to sewer environment compared to PCC and SRC, and that there was a significant weight loss of 8·0% and 13·6% in PCC and SRC, respectively, whereas a smaller weight loss of 2·2% was noticed in SC. This is consistent with the observed reduction in strength, increase in permeability and noticeable steel bar corrosion for the PCC and SRC relative to the SC.