Mineral-blended polymeric microspheres as an alternative to air-entraining agents in roller compacted concrete pavements
Construction and Building Materials, cilt.531, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 531
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.146618
- Dergi Adı: Construction and Building Materials
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Compendex, INSPEC
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Air-entraining agent (AEA), Freeze-thaw durability, Mineral-blended polymeric microspheres (MP), Roller-compacted concrete pavement (RCC), Transport properties
- Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Roller-compacted concrete (RCC) offers significant advantages for pavement infrastructure, yet its application in cold regions is often limited by concerns regarding its freeze-thaw (F-T) durability. While air-entraining agents (AEAs) are traditionally used to enhance F-T resistance, their chemical activation is often compromised by the inherently dry nature of RCC, making it challenging to achieve a stable and effective entrained air-void system. This study investigates mineral-blended polymeric microspheres (MP) as a robust, strength-preserving alternative to conventional AEAs for use in frost-resistant RCC. A comprehensive multi-parameter evaluation was conducted to characterize fresh stability, mechanical performance, microstructural features, transport behavior, and cyclic F-T durability of both AEA- and MP-modified RCC mixtures, with the results demonstrating a fundamental mechanistic divergence between the two modification strategies. AEA-modified mixtures exhibited a distinct strength-durability trade-off, achieving a durability factor (DF) of 66–74%, but characterized by significant losses in compressive (up to 34% reduction for 1.6% AEA) and splitting tensile strengths and elevated initial sorptivity (up to 0.0141 mm/s0.5) due to formation of interconnected air–capillary pore networks. In contrast, MP-modified (at 1.3% volume of concrete dosage) RCC effectively decoupled frost resistance from structural degradation, maintaining comparable frost resistance with a DF of 62–72% while preserving compressive strength. The microspheres functioned as discrete, non-coalesced inclusions that preserved matrix continuity while enhancing transport resistance through increased pore tortuosity and surface resistivity, yielding the highest surface resistivity (up to 17.1 kΩ.cm) and lowest initial sorptivity (0.0054 mm/s0.5). Both modification strategies successfully maintained a durability factor above 60% after 300 F-T, but MP-modified RCC achieved this without the characteristic structural penalties of traditional air entrainment. These findings provide critical guidance for design of sustainable RCC pavements capable of withstanding harsh environmental conditions without compromising mechanical integrity.