This study investigated the influence of the rendering mortar layer on chloride penetration in concrete. Cubic concrete specimens were cast measuring 8 cm x 8 cm x 8 cm and a water to cement ratio of 0.55. Three different mortar mixtures were used to cover one concrete face, after a thin layer of spatter dash treatment. Reference concrete specimens were also cast. After curing periods of 28 days for concrete and mortar rendering, five out of the six faces of the specimens were coated with epoxy resin to simulate unidirectional flow. The specimens were then subjected to wetting and drying cycles for 49 days and, afterwards, samples were extracted and analysed to obtain chloride profiles. The results show that mortar renderings influence chloride transport into concrete and this is more accentuated for less porous mortars and with higher cement content. There is also chloride accumulation close to the mortar-concrete interface region, which is explained by the differences in the chloride transport ability between mortar and concrete. Although mortars are more porous than concrete, they can represent an additional protection against chloride penetration into concrete.
Mortar; Concrete; Corrosion; Durability; Chloride transport
