CORROSION OF HARDENED CEMENT PASTE BY ACETIC AND NITRIC-ACIDS .3. INFLUENCE OF WATER CEMENT RATIO

The influence of water/cement ratio as a factor controlling the rate o f corrosion of hydrated cement paste (HCP) in solutions of acids was i nvestigated. The rate of corrosion decreases with increase in cement c ontent per unit volume of HCP (a decrease in water/cement ratio). Ther e are two main causes accounting for this fact. One is the increased n eutralization capacity of HCP's with an increased cement content, the other is the increase in diffusion resistance of layers of corrosive p roducts of HCP. The first of the two effects is supposed to be more im portant. Finally mathematical relations were found, to express the dep th of HCP corrosion as a function of the water/cement ratio, the conce ntration of the aggressive acid solution, and the duration of attack.