Enhancing the Durability of Pre-Cracked Concrete: The Crucial Role of Metakaolin and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag

Abstract

This study conducted a rigorous experiment to assess the strength and durability of pre-cracked concrete modified
with metakaolin (MK) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS). Three categories of hardened concrete were
compared to conventional concrete, focusing on key parameters such as compressive strength, mass loss, open
porosity, water penetration, capillary water absorption, and drying shrinkage. The assessments were performed under
two levels of compression damage and exposure to sulfuric acid (5% concentration). The results demonstrated a
significant long-term improvement in compressive strength by incorporating MK and GBFS, despite a reduction of up
to 80% in the presence of sulfuric acid. The F10 formulation exhibited the best performance, highlighting the positive
impact of additives on concrete durability. Replacing cement with MK and GBFS at a 10% level was identified as the
optimal design for sewer structures due to minimal shrinkage compared to other formulations.