Carbonation of the sub base layer of the Riba

Crossing road

Transportation Engineering Symposium

ABSTRACT: This

document comprising carbonation of the sub base layer of the riba crossing
road is divided into seven headings.
KEY WORDS: Carbonation,

test method, pavement layers

Carbonation of the sub base layer of the Riba Crossing road. Volume 1 No. 1/2010, pages 1
to 15

Transportation Engineering Symposium

1.

Introduction
In this document, a study will be done to look at three main questions regarding
carbonation of road pavement layers, as well as a fourth question regarding the
findings of other authors of previous studies on carbonation of road pavement
layers. These questions are:
-What is carbonation of road pavement layers?
-Why is the carbonation of road pavement layers important?
-What is the test method for carbonation of road pavement layers?
-What did authors say in previous studies on the carbonation of road pavement
layers?

2.

Objectives of this study

-

3.

To determine what carbonation, and the carbonation of road pavement

layers is,
To do a carbonation test and analyse the results.

Carbonation of road pavement layers

The reaction which takes place between atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and
the hydration products of a hardened Portland cement matrix is referred to as
carbonation. Carbonation can affect the performance of stabilized road pavement
layers, which inhibits the formation of cementitious products in soil-cement and
soil-lime reactions. Calcium carbonate is formed by carbon dioxide that reacts
with the lime or cement that was added to the material in the layer. This means
that the lime reverts to the limestone from which it was made and is no longer
available to complete the stabilization process. This reaction occurs during
curing and mostly in hot dry climates where control of curing is limited or
difficult. Carbonation can result in the strength of the soil-cement and soil-lime
mixtures decreasing by big percentages within 24 hours. This happens when the
pH of the layers have dropped to less than 9, due to carbonation. Lime, which is
present in both soil-lime and soil-cement mixtures, has a pH greater than 12, and
calcium carbonate, the product of carbonation, has a pH of between 8.0 and
8.5.Therfore, it is best to prevent the pH of the layers to drop to less than 9.
Carbonation is in some occasions more beneficial than disadvantageous. But it is
better to prevent it than to use it for its advantages, because one slight mistake
can cause the pavement to deteriorate and loose strength. It is important that this
strength reduction is limited to an extend where it do not influence the structural

Transportation Engineering Symposium

capacity for the applied loads on the road pavement. Carbonation increases the
density and strength of concrete made with OPC but decreases them in case of
other cements. Artificial carbonation of lime putties and lime-aggregate mixes
under optimum conditions by the Zalmanoff process has produced strengths of
35 to 70 MPa in a matter of hours while atmospheric carbonation produced 0.7 to
1.4 MPa in a matter of years. Some of the symptoms of carbonation is:
1.1 Surface weakening or disintegration of stabilised layer before or after
surfacing. This may lead to bleeding, surfacing and shallow base failures.
1.2 Return of plasticity during construction or in-service. This may lead to
shearing.
1.3 Expansion. This may lead to rutting in wheel tracks.
1.4 Shrinkage. This may lead to pumping and secondary traffic-associated
cracking.
For prevention of carbonation the permeability to air must be kept low. This can
be done by means of curing.
4.

Test methods used in this study

Carbonation can be tested with a number of different methods, but the most
reliable is by applying phenolphthalein (Netterberg,1984) to a soil-cement or
soil-lime sample. The following are different tests that can be done to determine
whether carbonation has occurred:
4.1 pH (paste or low water : soil ratio)
Ca(OH)2, OPC
: 12.4
CSH, CAH
: 11 12.6
CaCO3
: 8.3
4.2 X-ray Diffraction
4.3 Differential Thermal Analysis
4.4 Thermo-gravimetric analysis
4.5 Phenolphthalein (Netterberg, 1984), etc.

5.

Laborotary Test results

A carbonation test was done on Wednesday 24 February 2010 in a laboratory in
building 2 at the Pretoria campus of the Tshwane University of Technology. The
test was guided by Mr. Coetzee and his lab assistant. A sample of the Riba
Crossing pavement, in which 6% cement was present, was supplied by Mr.
Coetzee. The sample was cured for 7 days in a curing device, and thereafter
placed in a water tank for 4 hours before the test was done. The sample was cut

Carbonation of the sub base layer of the Riba Crossing road. Volume 1 No. 1/2010

open into 2 pieces. Five drops of hydrochloric acid1 (HCl) were dropped on one
piece of the sample. The HCl immediately effervesced in a green-yellowish
colour. This meant that carbonation did or is taking place. Five drops of
phenolphthalein2 was dropped on the other piece of the sample. After 15 to 20
seconds, the colour of the sample where the phenolphthalein was dropped turned
dark pink to red. This meant that low carbonation was present, which is good. If
there was no effervescence from the HCl, it meant that there is no carbonation
happening or no cement or lime present in the sample. And if there was no
change in the colour of the sample after the phenolphthalein was added, it will be
an indication that high carbonation was taking place or that there is no cement or
lime present in the sample.

6.

Conclusion

F. Netterberg, founder of the Netterberg carbonation test, along with P. PaigeGreen wrote a report on Carbonation of lime and cement stabilized layers in
road construction. (See attached report). In this report, they stated that
according to field and laboratory evidence it is believed that carbonation is a big
problem in southern Africa. They also found that carbonation is not due to
stabilizing agents being out of specification, but a combination of poor material,
poor construction practice and other factors.

7.

Recommendation

1 Warning: HCl will eat holes in clothing.

2 Phenolphthalein is a powerful laxative wash hands after use or before eating.