ADVANTAGES FROM USE OF POZZOLANIC AND POLYMERIC COMPOSITE MATERIALS IN MASS CONCRETING WORK - UNDER AGGRESSIVE ENVIRONMENT

The long term durability and sustainability of mega engineering structures like concrete and masonry dams are largely dependent on hydro-environment. Poor water quality of reservoir and aggressive chemical environment are detrimental for concrete structures and their propensity put to increase with passage of time. Concrete deterioration starts when it encounters adverse geological, atmospheric, and anthropogenic conditions. Other factors, like temperature variation, increased fluid velocity, poor compaction, consolidation and curing of concrete, alternate wetting and drying etc. are the conditions favorable for enhancement in rate of structural degradation. Hydro-environment is directly influenced by the presence of soluble salts contents, variation in temperature, presence of natural and anthropogenic pollutants in the surroundings of the structure which is a dominant cause for lowering down the pH of water responsible for leaching of lime from concrete. This paper discusses about the factors having impact on the concrete structures and providing protection to the concrete structures by using polymeric/pozzolanic materials. The field investigations were carried out for evaluation and assessment of structural distress at some important hydro power projects and remedial strengthening measures provided by CSMRS to overcome the problem has also been discussed in this paper.