Microcracking and Chloride Penetration of Concrete under Uniaxial Compression

A non-destructive method of evaluation of specific crack area was used to characterise microcracking in concrete prisms during uniaxial compression loading and unloading. Chloride profiles were also measured after the same concretes were exposed to chloride environment. The relation among microcracking, stress-strength ratio and chloride penetration of concrete were analysed based on the experimental results. Under compressive load, the apparent chloride diffusion coefficient decreases until about one third of the ultimate load. Further increase of compressive load improves the chloride diffusion coefficient again. There is a close link between microcracking and stress-strength ratio. The index of specific crack area can be used to indicate the microcracking and study chloride transport behaviour into concrete under the influence of microcracking.