The effects of calcium magnesium acetate deicers on portland cement mortar bars

Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA) is a commonly used deicing agent. Research on the effects of CMA on concrete pavements has been inconclusive. Industry analysts claim that CMA is not as harmful as other deicing solutions, while other researchers have shown that CMA damages concrete in the same way that other salts of magnesium do. The research presented here attempts to add to the discourse about CMA deicers. A series of mortar bars were made with varying water to cement ratios, admixtures and types of cement. They were soaked for approximately 4 weeks in a solution of CMA, and a series of measurements such as mass loss, length change and pulse velocity were made at regular intervals on the mortar bars. At the end of the 2 week and 4 week marks, the mortar bars were sectioned and polished as preparation for studies involving an electron microscope. After soaking, the samples were taken to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland for an extensive investigation involving X-ray microanalysis and hyperspectral mapping techniques. This thesis details both the technique of hyperspectral analysis and its potential use for further research. It also gives a report on the potential mechanisms involved in concrete deterioration by CMA deicing salts.