TY - CONF A1 - Durlo Tambara, Luis Urbano A1 - Dehn, F. A1 - Gluth, Gregor T1 - Effect of alkali-activated concrete composition on carbonation rate under accelerated and natural conditions N2 - While alkali-activated binders offer certain advantages over traditional Portland cement binders, particu¬larly in terms of resistance against chemical attacks and potentially environmental footprint, their degra¬dation mechanisms remain incompletely understood at present, specifically carbonation. Thus, this study investigates the impact of natural and accelerated carbonation (1% and 4% CO2) on three different compositions of alkali-activated concretes: 100% calcined clay (C100) binder, 100% ground blast furnace slag (S100) binder, and a 40% calcined clay and 60% blast furnace slag blend (C40S60). C100 concretes exhibit faster carbonation kinetics, with five times greater natural carbonation depths than S100. This difference diminishes under accelerated carbonation, showing a 1.5 times difference for 1% CO2 and complete carbonation for 4% CO2 at 90 days. The results thus confirm that accelerated carbonation testing of low-Ca alkali-activated concretes yields results that are not representative of natural carbonation. The C40S60 sample demonstrates a carbonation profile similar to a CEM I concrete, i.e., a high carbonation resistance. Microstructure analysis indicates the formation of three polymorphs of calcium carbonate for S100 (calcite, vaterite, and aragonite), with a higher CO2 concentration favouring aragonite over vaterite. C100 exhibits no calcium carbonates; instead, sodium carbonates form, including trona for 4% CO2 and natrite for both accelerated tests. C40S60 shows calcium and sodium carbonates, although to a lesser extent, containing predominantly calcite and minor signals of natrite. Suitable compositions, like C40S60, prove as effective during natural or accelerated carbonation tests as conventional Portland cement concrete. T2 - RILEM Spring Convention 2024 CY - Milan, Italy DA - 10.04.2024 KW - Alkali-activated concrete KW - Carbonation KW - Calcined clay KW - Slag KW - Durability PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-59915 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -