Frost Resistance of
-Hardened
-_-- __ Concrete - -- - --
Determining the effects fine aggregates have on the air-void system
BY KNUTOKKENHAUG AND ODD E. GI0RV
H ardened concrete's potential frost resistance is
often tested by a reiatively quick assessment oi
its air-void characteristics. For many years. air-void
testing has been part of more comprehensive concrete
quality control on a numher of Norwegian construction
sites.' A prohlem on many of these construction sites is
keeping the required entrained-air content in the
concrete (4 to O'%) during transport and handling.
Another problem has heen meeting comhined
requirements of high compressive strength and high air
content while using the local aggregate available.
The purpose of this research program was to
provide more information on how to maintain an
air-void system during concrete construction. Some
results oí this research program have previously been
reported.' This article presents test results from an
investigation of the effects of fine aggregate on
concrete's air-void system.
It has heen crucial to find out whether a lower
total air content could still provide acceptahle frost
resistance. Proper air-void characteristics are not
necessarily reiated to a high total air content.' It is
primarily the amount of sinaller air voids (with diameters
less than 300 Nm) that is related to the frost resistance.'
According to general reconiinendations for frost-
resistant concrete. the specific surface and the spacing
factor of an air-void system should he greater than 25
rnrn2/mm' and less than 0.25 mm, respectively?
Experience from air content testing has shown that the
concrete froin a inajority of the Norwegian construction
- - -- - - - - -
sites had both a very low total air content and very
poor air-void characteristics according to the general
recommendations. These observations are in
accordance with previous experience.'
i€ST PROGRAM
We selected three different sources of natural fine
aggregate, consisting mainly of quartz and feldspar.
and ail widely used for concrete production, for
investigation (Tahle 1). The coarse aggregate was a
20 mm maximum size crushed stone. In addition to the
natural grading, one of the fine aggregates (Source 1)
was split apart and produced in four different gradings
as shown in Tahle 1. Al1 concrete mixtures used ASTM
Type 1 portland cement. The air-entraining admixture
(AF.A) was a sodium alcyl sulfate type of admixture,
meeting the requirements of ASTM C 260.
The test program consisted of three different test
series (Tahle 2), where Series No. 1 included concrete
mixtures based on the three different sources of
natural fine aggregate. Series No. 2 included Source 1
of the fine aggregate with the four different gradings,
whiie in Series No. 3, the concrete mixtures included
two different fine-tocoarse aggregate ratios for two of
the fine aggregates (Sources 1 and 2).
Tahle 3 shows the proportions of the various
concrete mixtures. The test program employed similar
concrete mixtures for ali test series, except that the
water content was adjusted to keep the slump in the
range of 150 to 200 mm.
TABLE i: i E S i i W 6 PROCEOURE
SlEW ANALVSIS OFTHEVARIOUS SOURCES OF FlNE AGGREGATE Al1 concrete mixtures were produced with a 50 L

mm
60, t; Source of fine aggregate
pan concrete mixer at room temperature. First. we
dry-mixed t h e aggregate and t h e cemeiit for
approximately 60 s. Then, we added al1 water during
a period of 20 t o 30 s until t h e niixture reached the
appropriate workability. The time of mixing was
recorded from the time when the water was first
added t o the mixer.
45.0 53.8 19.8 We added t h e air-entraining admixture after 120 s
64.4 69.2 37.6 of mixing and then measured t h e total air content
82.0 85.3 56.6 (using ASTM C 231) after 75, 150. and 450 s of further
91.5 86.1
mixing. After 150 s of rnixing time with AEA, we
98.1 98.6
tested t h e stability of t h e air-void systeni by
mounting t h e pressure meter to a Vebe table and
TABLE 2: subjecting it t o vibration. During vibration, t h e loss
kfAIlS OFTHETEST PROGRAM, WHlCH CONSISTU) OFTHREE of air was determined without any prescure during a
DlmRENTmTSERlES period of 180 s by keeping t h e valve of t h e pressure
meter open. After vibration, however, we determined
Fine Fine-to-coarse t h e total air content a n d recalculated t h e
Serie Mixturc Aggregate
aggregate aggregate intermittent readings.
no. gading no
no. ratio From each batch, we also cast a number of 100 mrn
concrete cubes for later analysis of t h e air-void
1.1 1 58/42
1.2 2 58\42
system in t h e hardened concrete. For hardeiied
1.3 3 ~
concrete analysis, speciniens were prepared based
o n t h e modified point-count method described in
2.1 A 58/42 ASTM C 457.
2.2 B 58/42
2.3 C 58/42 EmMOFA66RE6METYPE
2.4 D 58/42 Figure 1 shows that the development of air during
-
3,l concrete mixing was very different in the three
50150
3.2 58/42 concrete mixtures produced with different fine
3.3 5O/SO aggregate sourcps. Thus. after 150 s of inixing, the total
3.4 58/42 air content in the fresh concrete produced with
Source 1 sand was almost twice that produced with
Source 2 sand. In tlie hardened concrete, the total air
TABLE 3: content was slightly greater with Source 1 than with
CONCRETEMIXNRES
USED FOR THE DIFFERENTTEST SERIES IN THE
Source 2. while for the Source 3 sand. the total air
lEsTpRoGRAM
content was approximately the same both in t h e fresh
and hardened concrete.
The specific surface of the air-void systein
developed very differently in t h e three concrete
mixtures (Fig. 2). After 120 s of mixing, but before
adding t h e air-entraining admixture, t h e specific
1.1 300 198 1950 130 surface was approximately the same (30 mm'/mm:')
1 1.2 300 231 1950
for mixtures with either Source 2 or Source 3 sand.
1.3 300 216 1950 130
while for Source 1. the specific surface was about
2.1 300 210 1950 130 13 mm2/mm3.After adding the AEA, however, Fig. 2
* 2.2
2.3
300
300
228
207
1950
1950
130
130
shows that the mixture with Source 2 developed a
specific surface of approximately 40 niiii2/mm:J,while
2.4 300 258 1950 Source 1 and Source 3 only developed a specific
3.1 300 225 1950 130 surface of approximately 20 mm'jmm' during 450 s of
3.2 300 231 1950 130 mixing. Partly because oí the high total air coiiteiits.
3.3 300 192 1950 130 al1 concrete mixtures had a spacing factor of
3.4 300 220 1950 130 approximately 0.15 mm (Fig. 3).
 O 150 300 450 O 150 300 450

Mixing time (sec) Mixing time (sec)

Fig. 3: Development of spacing factor for the three different

sources of Rne aggregate

S 6
C Source 2
O

.-
L

o ’ I
O 150 300 450
Mixing time (sec)

I
Fig. 1: Development of total air content after addition of AEA for
the three different sources of aggregate in: (a) fresh concrete; O 150 300 450
and (b) hardened concrete
Mixing time (sec)

(b) 18
16
.Swrce 1 D
;E
‘ 40
v
E
30
2
5 20

.o
u

o)
10 -
O
2~
LL
O 150 300 450
“ o
O 150 300 450 Mixing time (sec)
Mixing time (sec)
Fig. Effect of grading on the deveiopment of total air content
Fig. 2: Development of specific surface of the air-void SyStem
for the three different sources of aggregate in:(3fresh concrete; and @) hardened concrete
 50 0 1

I l
O 150 300 450
O 150 300 450
Mixing time (sec)
Fig. 5: Effect of grading on the developrnent of specific surface
of tha air-void svstem

I
I

NA+
0.2 O 150 300 450
Mixing time (sec)
0.1
Source 1 D Rg. 8: Effect of the fine-to-coarse aggregate ratio on the
development of total air content for Source iaggregate in:
O 150 300 450 (a) fresh concrete; and (b) hardened concrete
Mixing time (sec)
EFFEMOFA6GREGATEGRAOING
Rg. 6: Effect of grading on the development of spacing factor of The purpose of Series No. 2 was to find out how the
the air-void system grading of aggregates, which have similar mineralogicai
compositions, rnight affect the air-void system. Of the
three different sources of fine aggregate. Series No. 1
showed that Source 1 aggregate gave the highest total
Vibration (sec) air content but the poorest air-void system. Therefore.
we seiected this source of aggregate for splitting apart
O 30 60 90 120 150 180
and producing the four different gradings shown in
Tabie 1. Crading Curves A and B were a concave aiid
convex shape. respectiveiy, whiie the aniount of
particles finer than 0.125 mm (filler) was kept the $ame
as that of the original grading. Grading Curves C and L)
Source 1 0 had similar shapec to Curves A and B. respectively. only
O
with higher filler contents.
Figure 4 clearly demonstrates that the grading of
40
the fine aggregate had a significant effect on the
development of air in both the fresh aiid ihe hardened
concrete. The convex grading curves (Source 1-6 aiid
60 I I 1-D)produced a much higher air content than the
concave curves (Source 1-A and 1-C), whiie the
Rg. 7: Efieci of grading on the stabiUty of the air content during concave curve with the highest filler conteiit
vibration. Mixing time with AEA was 150 s before vibration (Source iC) produced the lowest air content. We aiso
 - 50 , l
'E
E 40 - E 40

30
t
f 20
o
5
i
* o
lo
O 150 300 450
O 150 300 450
Mixing time (sec)
Mixing time (sec)
Fig. 9: Effect of the fine-to-coarse aggregate ratio on the
specificsurface for Source Iaggregate 'Fig. il: Effect of the finrto-coaneaggregate ratio on the speciiic
surface for Source z aggregate

content produced a high specific surface. Only at a

shorter mking time, the concave grading cuwe with a
high filler content (Source 1C) produced a slightly
lower specific surface, but it increased again to

-
-
C
a!
C
o
U
4
6 approximately 41 mmz/mm3 after 450 s of mixing. The
convex grading curve with a high filler content
(Source 1-D) produced a high specific surface
L (31 m m z / m m ~before the addition of AFA, and it
4 2 further increased up to approximately 44 mmz/mm3
after 450 s of mixing. After a mixing period of 75 s. we
I observed a spacing factor as low as 0.05 mm (Fig. 6).
O 150 300 450 Also, during vibration of the fresh concrete, we
observed a more stable air-void system for the
Mixing time (sec)
aggregate with a high filler content (Source 1-C
and 1-D) (Fig. 7).
I The test results clearly demonstrate that both the
shape of the grading curve and the amount of filler,
and thus the degree of packing of the fine aggregate
particles. appear to be very important parameters for
the development of the air-void system in concrete.
Concrete made with a convex grading curve had more
air than that with a concave curve. Also. a high filler
content produced a more stable air-void system. The
test results may partly explain the different air-void
systems developed in the three concrete mixtures
produced with the three different sources of natural
O 150 300 450 fine aggregate in Series No. 1.
Mixing time (sec)
Fig. 10: Effect of the fine-to-coarse aggregate ratio on the Very often, the source of fine aggregate is given for a
development of total air content for Source z aggregate in: concrete production, but different fine-to-coarse
(a) hesh concrete: and (b) hardened concrete
aggregate ratios may be considered for the mixture
proportioning. The scope of Series No. 3 was to find
ohserved a greater difference in air content hetween out how the fine-tosoarse aggregate ratio might affect
the fresh and the hardened concrete for the concrete the air-void system.
mixtures with convex grading curves. By reducing the fine-tocoarse aggregate ratio from
As can be seen frorn Fig. 5, the grading of the fine 58/42 to 50/50 for the natural aggregate of Source 1
aggregate also affected the specific surface of the air- (with a concave grading curve), Fig. 8 demonstrates
void system. For both shapes of grading. a high filler that a reduced total air content in both the fresh and
hardened concrete was ohserved, The low specific
surface of the air-void system in the 58/42 mixture was
also further reduced in the 50/50 mixture (Fig. 9).
Figure 10 shows. however, that a reduction in the
sand content of Source 2 (with a convex grading
curve) almost doubled the total air content in the
concrete, while the specific surface of t h e air-void
system was reduced by approxirnately 50% (Fig. 11).
The previous test results demonstrate that not only
the shape of the grading curve and the amount of filler
hut also the total amount of fine aggregate appear to he
important for the development of the air-void system.
Thus, for the fine aggregate with a concave grading
curve, an increased sand content from 50 to 58% did not
improve the air-void system, but for the aggregate with a
convex grading curve, the specific surface of the air-void
system increased from approximately 20 to 40 m * / m m ' .
FINEA66REBICCEEFFéCiS
Although we hased the present investigation on a
limited number of variables and air-void examinations,
the test results indicate the following:
H Use of different sources of fine aggregate may
produce very different air-void systems in the
concrete. Thus, the three different sources of sand
produced a total air content in the fresh concrete
that varied from approximately 4.5 to 9.0% while the
specific surface of the air-void system varied from
approximately 20 to 40 mmz/mm3. It was the source
of sand that produced the lowest total air content
that also produced the hest air-void system;
H Both the shape of the grading curve and the amount
of filler (material finer than 0.125 mm), and hence the
packing of the fine aggregate particles. appeared to
be very important parameters for the development of
the air-void system. Thus, the convex grading curve
produced more air than the concave grading curve.
Also, a high filler content produced a more stahle
air-void system during vihration; and
H The total amount of fine aggregate also appeared to.
he important for the development of the air-void
system. When the content of the fine aggregate with
the concave grading curve was increased from 50 to
58%, an increased total air content was ohserved,
while the specific surface was not much affected. For
the fine aggregate with the convex grading curve.
however, opposite results were ohserved with a
reduced total air content and a specific surface that
increased from approximately 20 to 40 mmz/mm3.
Ildnowilidllliails
The authors gratefuiiy acknowledge the financiai support
received from the Norwegian Research Councii, Norwegian
Ready Mix Association. Rescon A/S. A/S Scancem Chernicals.
Norcem AIS. and Elkern AIS Materials.
IbtWOhlCes
1. Cjorv. O . E.. and Bathen. E.. "Quaiity Control of thr Air Void
System in Hardened Concrete," Nordic Conirrre Xesenrch.
Publicatian No. 6. 1987, pp. 95-110.
2. Okkenhaug. K..and Gj0rv. (3. E.. "Efiect oí Delayed Aiidition of
Air-Entraining Adniixtures t o Concrete." Crmcretr Inremori<ind
V. 14. No. 1ü. Oct. 1992, pp. : 3 7 1 i .
3. Gjorv. O. E.; Okkenhaug. K.: üathen. E.: and Husevag, R..
"Frost Resistance and Air-Void Characteristicc in Harilened
Concrete." Nordrc Concrete Rcseurch. Publication NO. i, 19R8,
pp. 89104.
4. Schafer, A,. "Frost Resistance and Air-Void System
in Concrete-Conditions and Tecting I'rircedures,"
Deoisrher Ausschuss für Sraliibeton, No. 167. 1964, 57 pp.
(in Gerrnan)
5. Powerc. T.C.. "The Air Requirement of F'rost-R?sistant
Concrete," Proceedings, Highway Research Board, 29, 1949.
pp. 184-202; discussion by T. F. Wiliis, pp. 203-211.
6. Working Group on Highway Concrete, "Guideliiies ior
Testing and Acceptance 01 Air-Entraining Adniiutures lor
Highway Concrete,'' Rep«rI RLP6i. Farschungsyesellcchalt iür
das Architektenverein, Wien, 1967. (in German)
7 . Manning, D. C.. "Where Have Al¡ the Bubbles Gonei" Concrete
Inlemoliond. V. 2, No. 8. Aug. 19R0, p p 99-líE
Received and reviewed under Iristitute pubiication policies.
r8
,
~~~~~~
6
. !
Knut Okkenhaug is a former research
engineer at SINTEF, Trondheim. Norway.
His research interests include various
aspects of concrete production.
Odd E. Gjerv, FACI, i s a p r o f e s o r at
the Department of Building Materials,
the Norwegian University of Science
and Technology. Trondheim, Norway.
He 1s a member of ACI Committees
201, Durability of Concrete, and 222.
Corrosion of Metais in Concrete, and
he has served on a number of
national and international technical
committees in the fieid of Concrete
technoiogy. Gj0w has received several awards for his
research, including the use of silica fume in concrete,
development of high-strength concrete, and performance
of concrete in marine environment.