Resistance of Concrete, Asphaltic Concrete and Mastic Asphalt to Silage Juice

Concrete deteriorates in the presence of organic acids that are present in the fermentation juice of silage, grass or maize. The floors of bunker and tower silos show severe damages already after a few years of usage. This paper reports on an investigation of the chemical resistance of six different types of concrete, three types of asphaltic concrete and three types of mastic asphalt, which were exposed to silage juice of maize with a pH of 3·8. The results show that the replacement of cement by bitumen considerably reduces the deterioration. From an economical point of view, silo floors made of asphaltic concrete and applied in one layer prove to be the optimal solution.