BS EN 13581:2002

What is BS EN 13581 – Freeze-thaw attack resistance of concrete about?  

BS EN 13581 is one of a series dealing with products and systems for the protection and repair of concrete structures.  

BS EN 13581 specifies a method for determining the loss of mass after freeze-thaw salt stress in sodium chloride solution. BS EN 13581can be used to test the resistance of hydrophobic impregnated concrete as well as the untreated concrete. 

Who is BS EN 13581 – Freeze-thaw attack resistance of concrete for? 

BS EN 13581 on test method for determining loss of mass of hydrophobic impregnated concrete after freeze-thaw salt stress is useful for: 

• Manufacturers/suppliers of concrete protection products 
• Civil engineers 
• Architects 
• Testing and inspection personnel 

Why should you use BS EN 13581 – Freeze-thaw attack resistance of concrete?  

There are two types of concrete deterioration when a freeze-thaw attack occurs:  

• Surface scaling  
• Internal damage  

Hydrophobic impregnation should be able to resist these deteriorations and protect the concrete structure from taking damage. A concrete structure without hydrophobic impregnation would undergo rapid weathering in the event of a freeze-thaw attack. 

The test method described in BS EN 13581 helps you to compare the loss of mass and visible defects of treated and untreated test cubes from the same batch of concrete. This enables you to identify the effectiveness of hydrophobic impregnated concrete against freeze-thaw salt attack.