Investigation of the Effect of Volumetric Hydrophobization on the Kinetics of Mass Transfer Processes Occurring in Cement Concretes during Corrosion

The entry of aggressive substances into the pore structure of concrete causes the development of corrosion processes and leads to the destruction of the cement stone structure. Hydrophobic additives provide high density and low permeability and are an effective barrier to the penetration of aggressive substances into the structure of cement stone. To assess the contribution of hydrophobization to the durability of the structure, it is necessary to know how much the processes of corrosive mass transfer slow down. To study the properties, structure and composition of the materials studied in the work (solid and liquid phases) before and after exposure to liquid-aggressive media, experimental studies were carried out using chemical and physicochemical analysis methods: determination of density, water absorption, porosity, water absorption and strength of cement stone; differential thermal analysis; quantitative analysis of calcium cations in liquid medium by complexometric titration. The article presents the results of studies of the effect on the operational characteristics of the introduction of a hydrophobic additive of calcium stearate into the cement mixture at the stage of concrete production. The effectiveness of volumetric hydrophobization was evaluated to prevent the penetration of an aggressive chloride-containing medium into the pore structure of concrete destruction and the leaching of calcium-containing components of cement stone. It was found that the introduction of calcium stearate in an amount of 0.8–1.3% by weight of cement increases the service life of a concrete product during corrosion in liquid chloride-containing media with a high degree of aggressiveness by four times.