• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.403-412
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• 1994

The durability of concrete is related to the permeation characteristics of its near surface. An attempt was made to use the permeation characteristics namely, absorptivity, permeability and diffusivity, to predict the freeze/thaw resistance of concrete. Test results indicate that in general, there was a trend that freeze/thaw resistance of concrete was enhanced with improved absorptivity and diffusivity whilst the freeze/thaw resistance of normal concrete was found to have the best relationship with its intrinsic permeability. The latter method is therefore proposed to be adopted to predict freeze/thaw resistance of normal concrete. Since Figg air test is an inexpensive and simple test method that measures indirectly the intrinsic permeability of concrete, it is further proposed that it could be used as a quality control tool to assess, non-destructively, the freeze/thaw durability potential of in-situ concrete.