Influence of calcium leaching on high-volume fly ash roller compacted concrete
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Calcium leaching is a chemical deterioration process that adversely affects the performance and service life of concrete structures exposed to water. This study aims to examine calcium leaching in high-volume fly ash roller-compacted concrete (HVFA–RCC) under varying permeation pressures and to clarify the influence of pressure-driven transport on calcium loss, microstructural degradation, porosity development, and compressive strength reduction. Concrete specimens prepared with a mix design representative of RCC dams were used in the experimental program, employing a high-volume fly ash mixture with a fly ash-to-cement ratio of 1.11 by weight. To accelerate calcium leaching, the specimens were subjected to permeation pressures of 4, 6, and 9 bar in an ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) solution for 28 days. After the leaching procedure, the specimens were evaluated through compressive strength testing and microstructural characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results indicate that calcium leaching tends to reduce compressive strength and is accompanied by progressive microstructural degradation, with the severity of deterioration increasing as permeation pressure increases. The incorporation of HVFA helps to reduce calcium loss and limits the associated degradation in both microstructure and mechanical performance. These findings suggest that pressure-driven transport contributes to the acceleration of calcium leaching in RCC, while the use of HVFA enhances resistance to leaching-induced damage, thereby supporting improved durability of RCC dams exposed to sustained hydraulic pressure through the mitigation of long-term degradation processes.
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