ALKALI- SILICA REACTION IN CONCRETE AND

ITS EFFECT ON SAFETY RELATED NUCLEAR

STRUCTURES
CIE 525 CONCRETE
STRUCTURES
HOMEWORK #1

9/20/2013
Nashwan Al
Shuwaili
Matt Baker
Christopher Buck
Eric Culver

Table of Contents
1.0) Alkali Silica Reaction..............................................................1
1.1) How Does ASR Form?..........................................................2
1.2) Effects of ASR on Concrete..................................................2
2.) Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant.................................................4
2.1) ASR at Seabrook Power Plant...............................................4
2.2) ASR Effect on Structural Integrity of Seabrook Power Plant. 4
2.3) Danger of ASR to Nuclear Power Plants...............................6
3.) ASR Prevention: Limiting Alkali Content in Concrete................6
3.1) Implementing Supplementary Cementing Materials............8
4.) Conclusion...............................................................................8
References.................................................................................... 9

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1.0) Alkali Silica Reaction

Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR) is a reaction in concrete that occurs over time due to the
interaction between the alkaline found in cement and silica found in aggregates. This reaction
forms a gel that expands when exposed to water that can cause cracking within the concrete.
These cracks degrade the quality of the concrete reducing some of its physical properties such as
compression and tensile strength. ASR is an issue in the maintenance of concrete structures. As
the cracks expand, the concrete degrades, and so does the structures capacity to withstand
demands and can cause some serious structural problems over time.

1.1) How Does ASR Form?

The alkali-silica reaction (ASR) commonly found in concrete is a subset of reactions
called Alkali-aggregate reactions (AAR) which consist of both ASR and Alkali-carbonate
reactions. The alkali-silica reaction is a chemical bond that forms between Alkali metals, which
are found on the leftmost column of the periodic table of elements, and Silicon. This reaction
naturally takes place in concrete because its ingredients naturally contain these elements. Alkali
metals, most notably sodium (Na) and potassium (K) are found in Portland cement. Cement is
commonly made with a compound of
Sodium or Potassium and Oxygen (Na 2Oeq
or K2Oeq). Silica is usually contained in
numerous aggregates including quartz,
which is commonly used in making
concrete. Quartz is comprised of a silica
tetrahedral O2-Si-O2. When cement,
aggregate, and water is combined in the
process of creating concrete the reaction is
initiated. A basic solution caused by the
interaction of the alkali metals and water
attacks amorphous silica within the
aggregate and creates a hygroscopic alkaliFigure 1: Cracking Caused by ASR
silica gel. This gel attracts water and swells
inducing fractures within the concrete (Fernandes, 2013).

1.2) Effects of ASR on Concrete

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The biggest challenge an engineer faces when dealing with ASR is having to determine
the effect ASR has had on the structural capacity of a structure. Being able to come up with new
concrete properties can be difficult because ASR has different effects depending on the physical
and chemical characteristics of the aggregate, the environment of the structure, and how long
ASR has been present in the concrete.
In 1988, R.N. Swamy and M.M. Al-Asali published a technical paper giving their results
of an experiment on engineering properties affected by ASR. Their test consisted of measuring
the degradation of concrete properties using specimens with different reactive aggregates.
They used opal and fused silica as their reactive aggregates along with a control specimen that
had a non-reactive aggregate. Swamy and Al-Asali allowed the specimens to cure a set amount
of days and then performed a compression, split cylinder, modulus of rupture, dynamic modulus
of elasticity, and pulse velocity test. All tests were in accordance to their respective British
standards.
Table 1: Effects of ASR Expansion on Concrete Properties

The results of the tests showed degradation of the concrete as time elapsed. Table 1
above shows the results of their experiment. Swamy and Al-Asali were able to conclude that both
tensile strength and compressive strength are directly affected by the percent of crack expansion
due to the ASR. The tensile strength of the concrete is more sensitive to the ASR than the
compressive strength. For example, after 60 days of curing, the modulus of rupture of the fused
silica samples had decreased by 48% whereas the compressive strength had only decreased 11%.
This is to be expected because as a specimen is put under compression those cracks formed by
ASR close, where as in the modulus of rupture test those cracks caused by ASR continue to
expand.
The results of this experiment can help guide an engineer in the process of trying to
determine the degradation of the concrete but these results might not always represent the actual
performance of a concrete structure. Swamy and Al-Asalis experiment showed that compression
strength can be affected by the presence of ASR, but these test were done on cylinders or cubes
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in a lab which doesnt represent the actual in-situ stresses concrete structures may face. Things
like confining reinforcement and other loadings may affect the concrete properties and should be
considered. The actual data results was dependent on the types of aggregates used and different
mix designs may yield different results. The experiment did conclude that ASR negatively
impacts the strength of concrete and can harm the structural integrity of a structure, especially
over a long period of time.

2.) Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant

During the renewal process of the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant in 2009, an
investigation observed that there was excessive intrusion of moisture into the walls of many
Category 1 or safety related structures or structures designed to withstand maximum potential
seismic loads. Later test and
observations confirmed that alkali
silica reaction (ASR) was degrading
the concrete of these structures.
According to the United States
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(USNCR), Seabrook is the first plant
in the U.S. nuclear industry to exhibit
ASR in concrete structures on site.
Engineers at the Seabrook Power
Plant and at the USNCR then began
their investigations to determine the
extent of concrete degradation due to
ASR and began evaluating the
structural adequacy of the power
Figure 2: Seabrook Power Plant
plant.

2.1) ASR at Seabrook Power Plant

During an investigation in August of 2010, concrete cores samples were taken and tested
as part of the 2009 Seabrook License Renewal Process Structures Monitoring Program. These
samples were taken at the lower electrical tunnels because the tunnels have been subjected to
groundwater intrusion for many years. Tests showed a reduction in the modulus of elasticity of
the concrete. Engineers then proceeded with a petrographic examination and surprisingly found
the presence of ASR. According to the ASR Root Cause Evaluation prepared by NextERA
Energy, the presence of ASR is unexpected due to the use of tested igneous rock aggregates and
low alkali Portland Cement (Next Era Energy, 2013). According to Professor Paul Brown from
Penn State University, ASR at Seabrook Power Plant could have developed due to sources of
moisture present at local areas where there was sufficient alkali present, or there was a sufficient
amount of salt water intrusion that can help the development of ASR (Brown, 2012).

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2.2) ASR Effect on Structural Integrity of Seabrook Power Plant

After the discovery of ASR at Seabrook Power Plant, a series of investigations were
conducted to determine the amount of ASR present and how much the ASR had degraded the
concrete. The first thing engineers did was extract concrete core samples from six different
locations, as seen in Figure 3 below. According to the USNCR Inspection Report, these core
were then mechanically tested to discover the degree of degradation and determine the key
concrete properties needed to determine the strength of existing structures. These tests showed
that the compressive strength of the degraded concrete was relatively unaffected due to ASR but
the modulus of elasticity had been reduced by 22%. Despite these results, engineers concluded
that the data was not a good representation of the structural performance of the concrete. By
removing the cores from the structure, these cores are no longer subjected to stresses and strains
that are present by the confinement of the ASR expansion due reinforcing and loadings (USNCR,
2012). Even though the data from these tests were not a good indication of the strength of the
concrete, the core samples were still used as a method of finding the presence of ASR.

Figure 3: Concrete Core Sample Locations

The engineers alternative method of determining the degree of degradation was a walk
down review of the structures and a six-month crack indexing measurement to determine the
progression of the ASR and the rate of expansion (USNCR, 2012). The walk down review
consisted of visual inspections of structures which found ASR crack patterns, actual ASR gel,
and discoloration of concrete due the ASR gel. Engineers are also in the process of a large scale
experimentation at the University at Texas to test specimens that better represent the conditions
at Seabrook.
After the completion of the walk down review and the crack indexing study, engineers
needed to determine if the power plant was structurally adequate to continue operations. The first
thing engineers looked at was the flexural capacity of the affected structures and their dynamic
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response to seismic loads. To accomplish this, engineers made finite element modules and
conservatively assumed the current state of concrete degradation using research on ASR along
with some concrete properties from the mechanical tests which they saw consistent with their
research findings (USNCR, 2012) . These finite modules showed no concern for immediate
structural issues. Engineers also checked if the shear capacity of certain structures were still
adequate by again using a finite element module with conservative assumptions of the concrete
degradation. These modules also did not show any immediate concern.
Even though engineers are continuing to research and investigate the long term structural
integrity of the Seabrook Power Plant, they concluded that the power plant is still structurally
adequate to continue operations. With the help of continued visual investigations along with the
current research being done at University of Texas, engineers are hopeful they will be able to
determine if the power plant is safe for long term usage or if major repairs are needed.

2.3) Danger of ASR to Nuclear Power Plants

Even though ASR has not caused any serious structural issues at Seabrook Power Plant
yet, if left unchecked there can be some serious safety issues. The cracks caused by the ASR gel
can continue to expand and degrade the concrete. These cracks also lead to many issues with
reinforcing steel and anchorages. Even though the engineers investigations showed that there
hadnt been any corrosion to rebar at this point in time, water will be allowed to penetrate the
concrete deeper and lead to the corrosion as the cracks continue to grow. There is also a concern
of micro cracks forming around embedded anchorages that would lower the overall structural
capacity of these anchorages that support safety components. Overall, ASR reduces the strength
of the concrete and can lead to problems with corrosion, anchorage, and concrete spalling. This
reduces the structural capacity of the power plants structural systems. Over time the structural
capacity will continue to diminish while the physical demands will remain the same. Eventually
the power plants structures may become inadequate and potentially lead to severe safety issues
for those working at the plant and surrounding areas.

3.) ASR Prevention: Limiting Alkali Content in Concrete

Research in the past has shown that an expansive reaction in concrete is unlikely to occur
if the content of alkali in the cement is below 0.60%. Recent research has indicated that AlkaliSilica Reaction can occur in the field when low alkali cements are used, however, the 0.60%
value has become the maximum limit in the United States to be used with reactive aggregates
("Selecting Measure to Prevent Deleterious Alkali-Silica Reaction in Concrete") . This value appears in
ASTM C 150 Standard Specifications for Portland cement. Figure 4 below describes the
relationship between cements of varying alkali content and the expansion cracks produced. The
figure shows that the alkali content is controlled by the ratio of the cement content and the alkali
content of the concrete, rather than the cement alkali level by itself (USDOT, 2012).

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Figure 4: Alkali Content vs. Expansion Cracking

From
Figure 4
above,
a
Concrete
3
Alkali Content value between 3.5 4.0 kg/m , the expansion at one year is quite different
depending on the content of cement in the concrete. Figure 5 shown below shows the
relationship between Concrete Alkali Content and the expansion cracks produced dependent on
different types of reactive aggregates. TV Sand, siltstone, and limestone are the three reactive
aggregates that were tested. Looking at the graph, limestone is comparable to the previous figure
and tends to have the same trend line. The TV sand and siltstone, however, do not have evidence
of showing expansion cracking until the Concrete Alkali Content reaches about 4 kg/m 3. Based
on the figure, it shows that TV sand and siltstone have a much higher tolerance for expansion
cracking than limestone.

Figure 5: Concrete Alkali Content vs. Expansion Cracking

(varying aggregates)

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3.1) Implementing Supplementary Cementing Materials

Research has shown that there are many different types of supplementary cementing
materials that can be used to replace Portland cement. The principle of using these materials is
to replace some of the cement containing alkali-silica with another cementing material. The type
and amount of cementing materials is sometimes tough to determine and is based on the
following criteria (USDOT, 2012):

The nature of the reactive aggregate.

o Typically, the more reactive the aggregate is, the more
supplementary cementing materials required.
Exposure conditions of the concrete
Alkali availability within the concrete
The nature of the cementing materials

Table 2 below gives a list of supplementary cementing materials and their required
replacement level to reduce expansion cracking due to Alkali-Silica Reaction.
Table 2: Supplementary Cement Materials

4.) Conclusion
ASR is a gel forming reaction in concrete caused by the chemical reaction of
the alkaline in the cement and the silica in the aggregate. This gel can absorb water
and expand causing the concrete to crack. These cracks degrade the quality of
concrete as demonstrated in an experiment by Swamy and Al-Asali. ASR has
become an issue at Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant, who is in a license renewal
process. ASR has been observed in many Category 1 or Safety Related structures
at Seabrook. Using research and various tests, engineers have determined that
Seabrook is still safe to operate but tests continue to figure out if the plant is safe
for long term usage or if repairs need to be made. ASR can be controlled by
prevention. By testing aggregates and using low alkaline cements, ASR can be
prevented.

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References
Brown, P. (2012). Commentary on the Alkali-Silica Reaction in Concrete Structures
at the Seabrook Nuclear Plant. University Park, PA: Penn State University.
Energy, N. (2013). ASR Root Cause Evaluation Summary. Seabrook, NH.
Fernandes, I., & Broekmans, M. (2013). AlkaliSilica Reactions: An Overview. Part I.
Microstruct. Anal. Metallography, Microstructure, and Analysis, 257-267.
Swamy, R. (1998). The Alkali-silica Reaction in Concrete. CRC Press.
Swamy, R., & Al-Asali, M. (1988). Engineering Properties of Concrete Affected by
Alkali-Silica Reaction. ACI Material Journal(September-October), 367-374.
U. S. (2012). Seabrook Station -NRC Inspection Report 05000443/2012009. King of
Prussia, PA.
United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). (2012). Selecting Measure to
Prevent Deleterious Alkali-Silica reaction in Concrete.

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