Effects of plateau environment on cement concrete properties: A review

Abstract

The plateau environment not only affects the development of concrete's early strength but also damages its durability during its service life. This paper summarized and analyzed the impact of plateau environments on concrete’ properties and proposed methods to improve the performance of concrete in plateau environment. The results indicated that low humidity and high evaporation rates in plateau regions inhibit the hydration of cement in concrete, leading to an increased content of micro-pores ranging from 500 to 1000 ​nm and raising the risk of early-stage cracking, thus reducing the impermeability of concrete. The low atmospheric pressure (AP) condition of 60 ​kPa decreases the entrained air content in concrete by over 20%, diminishes the pores under 200 ​μm, and increases the average air-voids diameter and spacing factor, resulting in a decrease of more than 5% in the 28 ​d compressive strength of concrete. Consequently, the durability of concrete is compromised. Saponin and rosin-based air-entraining agents are recommended to improve the performance of concrete in plateau environments. Nanoparticles also aid in stabilizing bubbles in such conditions. Selecting low-heat specialty cements, increasing the amount of cement used, and extending the curing period are also vital measures to enhance the performance of plateau concrete.