This paper reports on the findings of a study of the chemistry of chloride
penetration into cement pastes. Three binder combinations were used with th
ree types of curing. At certain exposure times, specimens were sliced at 5-
mm intervals, ground, and analysed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and therm
ogravimetry (TG) techniques. Up to B-month exposure results are reported in
this paper. As a result of leaching of calcium, silicon content was used t
o determine binder content for the XRF measurements. It was found that the
vast majority of chloride permeation had occurred by absorption, and that c
uring by sealing in film or the addition of self-cure admixture more than h
alved the depth to which chlorides penetrated. In some instances, sodium wa
s present in proportionally higher quantities than chloride, which has been
attributed to the replacement of sodium ions by potassium ions. (C) 1999 E
lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.