In this study, alkali-activated slag (AAS) concrete made with blast furnace slag (BFS) was investigated as a replacement for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete for changes in the compressive strength before and after CO2 exposure and chemical reactions with CO2. Before CO2 exposure, the compressive strength of AAS concrete was found to be up to 21 MPa, which was higher than that of OPC concrete. Exposing AAS concrete to CO2 at 5,000 ppm for 28 days did not significantly change the compressive strength. In contrast, the compressive strength of OPC concrete decreased by 13% in the same conditions. In addition, AAS concrete had the highest CO2 capture capacity of greater than 50 g CO2/kg, while the CO2 capture capacity of OPC concrete was only 2.5 g CO2/kg. Rietveld analyses using XRD results showed that fractions of main calcium-silicate-hydration (C-S-H) gels on the surface of AAS concrete did not significantly drop after CO2 exposure; the C-S-H gel on the AAS concrete was continuously produced by reacting with the SiO2 produced after the reaction with CO2 and Ca(OH)2 inside the concrete, with the result that the compressive strength of AAS concrete did not change after CO2 exposure. Thus, AAS concrete can be applied to CO2-rich environments as both a stable construction material and a CO2 sequestrate agent.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the tensile strength of GFRP and BFRP Rebar after exposure to environmental factors of deterioration (alkali, freezing -thawing) in order to present that as basic data for the application of FRP Rebar as concrete reinforcement. As a result, in the exposure of an alkali environment, the deterioration of fiber-resin was accelerated as the temperature increased, and it was found that there was an insignificant effect on freezing-thawing.

In this experimental study, the characteristic of damages on GFRP rebar exposed to high temperature only and immerged in alkaline solution after the exposure to high temperature was analyzed through microscopic image analysis. The found microcrack and pores in resin matrix were quantitatively compared if there was effect of pre-exposure to high temperature. The damages, such as microcrack and pores in resin matrix, by alkali exposure were mainly found in rebar surface. On the other hand, the pores caused by high temperatures were extensively found in a section and had greater width than those caused by the alkali exposure. In results of the quantitative comparison, the accumulated length and widths of microcrack and pores in resin matrix in pre-exposed GFRP rebar to high temperature were respectively 1.5 and 1.4 times of those in the GFRP rebar only immerged in alkali solution. Therefore, the deterioration of resin matrix by the alkali exposure could be accelerated due to the pre-exposure to high temperature.

It is reported that alkalinity of concrete decreases inter-laminar shear strength of FRP rebar. This could be more significant on thermally damaged FRP rebar. In this study, accelerated ISS test was conducted on FRP specimens previously exposed to temperature of 270℃ for 60 days. For 60 days, the ISS of thermally damaged FRP rebar was not significant