Sulfide-related degradation of concrete in Southwest England ('The Mundic Problem')

Document Status

Current

Supplement

Building Supplement

Series

Report

Abstract

Following the decline in the use of natural stone at the beginning of this century, most domestic and small commercial properties in Cornwall and South Devon were built with concrete blocks and mass concrete using local sand and coarse aggregate, available as waste materials from the region's metalliferous mining industry. Some wastes proved to be very unstable in service, sometimes necessitating demolition of properties. This is known locally as 'the Mundic problem', Mundic being the old Cornish-Celtic word for pyrite, which is abundant in many mining wastes and is central to the degradation process. This report gives an overview of the problem, giving details from tests of samples taken from numerous properties.

Author

Bromley, A. and Pettifer, K.

ISBN

9781860811371

Subjects

• Materials
• In situ concrete/cement

Publisher History

BRE is a building science centre that generates new knowledge through research. This is used to create products, tools and standards that drive positive change across the built environment. BRE helps its government and private sector clients meet the significant environmental, social and economic challenges they face in delivering homes, buildings and communities. BRE is owned by the BRE Trust, a registered charity. The Trust uses the profits made by the BRE companies to fund research and education that advances knowledge of the built environment.