Assessing the Role of ASR Reactive Aggregates in Concrete Mixes Susceptible to DEF

DEF is a deleterious reaction which may cause cracking in concrete structures. In Australia, reported observations of DEF have been associated with the presence of ASR. Although DEF is an issue of concern for the construction industry, with each state authority having their own specifications for temperature limits in the manufacture of heat-cured precast concrete elements, little work has been done on the susceptibility of structural concrete to DEF or DEF in the presence of reactive aggregates. This paper presents the outcomes of an investigation into the concrete systems at risk of deleterious DEF in the presence of ASR reactive aggregates.