Guidelines for the use of lithium to mitigate or prevent ASR Publication No. FHWA-RD-03-047.

Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is a significant durability problem that results in premature deterioration of various types of concrete structures in the United States and throughout the world. Although several viable methods exist to prevent ASR-induced damage in new concrete structures, few

methods mitigate further damage in structures already affected by expansion and cracking due to ASR. For more than 50 years, researchers have recognized that lithium compounds effectively prevent expansion caused by ASR, and in recent years there has been renewed interest in using lithium compounds either as an admixture in new concrete or as a treatment for existing structures. This report provides practitioners with the necessary information and guidance to test, specify, and use lithium compounds in new concrete construction and in applications to repair and extend service life.

First, the report provides a basic overview of ASR, including information on mechanisms, symptoms of damage in field structures, mitigation approaches, test methods, and specifications. A comprehensive summary of lithium compounds follows, including information on their production, availability, and use in concrete studies in the laboratory and in field applications (including a range of case studies). Next, the authors present guidelines for using lithium compounds as an admixture in new concrete and for testing existing structures suffering from ASR-induced damage, including information on how to assess the efficacy of lithium compounds in laboratory tests. Some basic information also is provided on the economics of using lithium in new concrete and as a treatment for existing structures. Finally, the report provides a summary of conclusions and identifies several technical and practical issues that should be considered for future laboratory studies and field applications.