Abstract
To reduce the amount of radioactive concrete produced during the dismantling of nuclear power plants, it is essential to remove cement paste attached to aggregates. In this study, the effectiveness of a chemical and physical treatment for cement paste removal was evaluated. Cement-paste specimens having similar size to fine aggregate were treated in a sulfuric acid solution with ultrasonication. The weight loss of the specimens was measured to quantify the degree of decomposition of the cement paste. Scanning electron microscopy, surface hardness test, and inductively coupled plasma analysis were performed to identify the effect of acid treatment on the cement-paste specimens. The results indicated that the cement paste removal is associated with progressive degradation of near-surface layer, and the process can be accurately controlled as a function of water-cement ratio and specimen dimension. The findings are expected to be of great use to disposal of radioactive concrete.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 118056 |
| Journal | Construction and Building Materials |
| Volume | 241 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2020 Apr 30 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This study made use of the ICP and SEM facility at Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Seoul, Korea. This work was supported by a Korea University Grant.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd
Keywords
- Acid treatment
- Cement paste
- Radioactive waste
- Ultrasonication
- Waste management
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Civil and Structural Engineering
- Building and Construction
- General Materials Science