Detection Of Concrete Deterioration By Staining

Patent · Tue Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 1999

OSTI ID:879514

Carey, J William ^[1]

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1. Santa Fe, NM

A method using concentrated aqueous solutions of sodium cobaltinitrite and a rhodamine dye is described which can be used to identify concrete that contains gels formed by the alkali-silica reaction (ASR), and to identify degraded concrete which results in a porous or semi-permeable paste due to carbonation or leaching. These solutions present little health or environmental risk, are readily applied, and rapidly discriminate between two chemically distinct gels; K-rich, Na--K--Ca--Si gels are identified by yellow staining, and alkali-poor, Ca--Si gels are identified by pink staining.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: The Regents of the University of California (Los Alamos, NM)
• Patent Number(s): US 5955372
• Application Number: 09/060513
• OSTI ID: 879514
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English