concrete spalling and scaling

[PSUengineer1]

Photos attached are of a concrete driveway. I do not know how old driveway is. I do not know thickness of slab. I did not visit site. I am going off of photos only. The concrete is scaling and spalling (spalling is a more severe condition than scaling). I understand why spalling and scaling occur.
Questions:
1. can this amount of spalling/scaling occur from a one time salting of driveway? I say no. Do you agree with me?
2. In saying no, I want to understand how soon after concrete placement spaling and scaling begin to occur.
Any insight is much appreciated. Be sure to reference attached photos.
-jimjxs263

 

[ztengguy]

looks a bit like too much water troweled to top of concrete....pretty sure it would not be salting, looks too consistant for that.

 

[MJB315]

If you're in a northern climate, your culprit may be freeze-thawing. If the concrete was not air-entrained, the concrete will deteriorate rather quickly when exposed to freeze/thaw cycles, especially over years. Just a thought.

"We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us." -WSC

 

[bridgebuster]

I tend to agree with ztengguy & MJB315. Here's a link to the NRMCA, they have a number of troubleshooting guides that are very helpful. I hope there's a warranty on that driveway.

http://www.nrmca.org/aboutconcrete/cips/CIPseries.asp

 

[msquared48]

I agree too. My driveway was not air entrained, and over 30 years, the top has gradually deteriorated over the years. No salt used at all and am in the Pacific Northwest

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[Ron]

Has nothing to do with salt. Freeze-Thaw contribution; however, this looks more like excessive laitance during construction resulting in very high water-cement ratio at surface, thus prone to scaling and spalling. If freeze-thaw, it is extreme.

 

[PSUengineer1]

thank you for all responses. please concur that this damage is ongoing and not from a one-time salting. can a one-time salting create this much damage?

 

[Ron]

The only way a one-time salting could create this is if you have a lot of salt placed on the wet concrete before it hardened.

 

[TXStructural]

Being that it is one panel only, I'd vote for overfinishing, excessive bleed water, or rain after/during finishing but before setting. Frost during cure might do this, as could poor concrete quality or bad curing practices.