Technological Assessment of Cement Matrix Deterioration in Concrete Floorings of Cattle Buildings Under Manure Exposure: A Review

Concrete floorings in cattle buildings are operated in an environment where the load - bearing capacity of the material is related not only to compressive strength but also to the resistance of the cement matrix to manure, urine, moisture, organic acids, sulfate compounds, microbiological activity and mechanical abrasion. In this review, a technological assessment of the main mechanisms of concrete deterioration under contact with an aggressive livestock environment is provided and the requirements for suitable concrete and cement systems are summarized. Publications, standards and applied studies related to concrete floors, cement matrix, organic acids, sulfate attack, calcium leaching, microbiologically induced corrosion and innovative binder systems were analysed. The datashow that concrete durability in a livestock environment should be assessed through a set of indicators: compressive strength, water absorption, density, porosity, permeability, sulfate resistance, acid resistance, wear resistance and reinforcement protection. From a technological point of view, concretes with a low water - cement ratio, a dense structure, adequate compaction and curing, as well as sulfate - resistant, slag, pozzolanic or alkali - activated binder systems, are considered the most justified. The main limitation in the literature remains the lack of long - term field studies in real cattle buildings where chemical, biological and mechanical factors act simultaneously.