A Rapid Autoclave Mortar Bar Method to Determine the Potential Alkali-Silica Reactivity of St. Lawrence Lowlands Carbonate Aggregates (Quebec, Canada)

Abstract

Abstract An autoclave mortar bar method is proposed to evaluate the potential alkali-silica reactivity of the limestone and dolostone aggregates produced in the St. Lawrence Lowlands. The influence of various parameters on the test results and the precision of the adopted test procedure were first evaluated. The method was then applied to 40 carbonate aggregates sampled along the St. Lawrence Lowlands. Expansion limits are suggested based on the behavior of these aggregates under standard testing conditions and on field performance. The reaction products developed in the mortar bars during the test, as observed under the SEM, were also investigated.