Sparkstation what I believe the kcoleman is referring to is a shed that loose salt will be stored in. Here where I live the State Highway Administration has salt sheds to store salt for icy road conditions. Those here are igloo shaped. A concrete pad with poured walls about 4 feet. Covered with wood dome. I would say pads 100 ft in diameter big enough dump trucks can enter to fill it and front-end loader can move around.

I am constructing a shed to store salt for de-icing roads in winter conditions. The problem im having is that i cant find any suitable information on the internet regarding the protection required to prevent corrosion on materials like steel and concrete

http://www.saltinstitute.org/39.html

This may help

our county barn used asphalt instead of concrete

COAL TAR PAINT IS GOOD.

INSTALL STOPS TO KEEP LOADER OFF THE PAINT AND IT WILL LAST MANY YEARS.

Your re-bar can be protected by epoxy coating or galvanising. Re-bar suppliers will supply it pre-coated. You must ensure sufficient cover of concrete - at least 50mm I would suggest. You should order your concrete with a high pozzolan content and an anti-corrosion admixture - all of which your readymix company should be able to advise you about. If they don't know what you are asking them for use someone else.

Corrosion can be a nasty problem if moisture is present. It can be seen in the floors of parking structures where de-icing salts are used on the streets. Cars bring in snow mixed with salt. When the snow melts, the chloride ion permeates the concrete and attacks both concrete and steel.

In the absence of water, I don't believe there would be a problem. The severity of the problem is dependent on how much moisture is present on the concrete surfaces.

The floors of parking structures are structural slabs. Corrosive attach must be prevented or the structure would fail. A sprayed-on sealant is not adequate to protect the floor in this case. You really need a waterproof membrane over the slab. Above the membrane, a wearing surface is required to protect the membrane. If the wearing surface is concrete, it may need to be replaced periodically.

For the 5 years I worked with PA DOT in maintenance the common design was an asphalt pad with the shed made out of wood pressure treated timber at the base usually 8" x 8" or 12" by 12" ~8' high they usually last pretty long ~15-20 years. Since your dealing with guys driving a loading and dump truck in snow events the material is going to be abused a lot.

ceramic cement does not care about salt. has no effect on it at all. when mixing ceramic cement, you can use beach sand. no problem. therefore the rebar inside will never be attacked. ceramic cement uses a different process than portland cement. it is not very well known or understood by the cement industry.

Ceramic concrete? How expensive is it? How brittle is it?

Hello Guest, and other interested folks.

Refer here: http://ceralith.com/?page_id=5

<"....

CeraLith Technology manufactures an inorganic ceramic cement that forms a strong, hard matrix in seconds or minutes or hours as desired. It is made from nontoxic ingredients, which are derived from natural sources, mined and/or extracted from seawater.

Ceramic cement material have been applied in construction and industrial fields, and it has been tested in numerous certified U.S. laboratories. All CeraLith applications are safe for humans, animals and the environment.

CeraLith technology is competitively priced and poised to offer superior products for commercial construction, manufacturing, the toxic and hazardous waste industry, and the cement/concrete industry.

Ceramic cement products are composed of a highly modified metal oxide-phosphate. These are available as ready-to-use products, much like portland cement. Unlike portland cement, however, there are a variety of products specifically engineered for specific applications. Generally, ceramic cements have the following characteristics:

When water is added the resulting chemical reaction quickly creates very dense cement. The set-up time can be as short as one or two minutes, or the product can be formulated for "open" or working time of up to an hour. Spray applications will setup in a matter of seconds.

When ceramic cement is fully cured it can reach compression strengths up to 11,000 psi without added aggregates or reinforcements. Increased compression strengths can be achieved by adding aggregates or reinforcements. The 3-day cure time for ceramic cement is equivalent to a 28-day cure time for portland cement.

Ceramic cement does not shrink when cured and shows the same rates of expansion and contraction as its substrates. Unlike other cements, when cured there is no free water in ceramic cement. The chemical reaction that creates the finished product converts any water in the mix into a non-reversing crystalline form.

Ceramic cement combines with all known aggregates and reinforcements, and actually etches and bonds to metals. It is impermeable to water; consequently there is no degradation due to corrosion of rebar or other metal reinforcement.

Ceramic cement protects fiberglass-reinforcing mediums in the same manner. Since the product has a neutral pH, it will bond, without causing any damage, to fiberglass fibers. The use of glass fibers and steel reinforcing needles are highly recommended.

The superior strength and faster curing cycle of ceramic cement requires less energy to produce and results in greater productivity per time frame. Other factors will add materially to the savings, including that of providing truly noncombustible and environmentally safe products.

A FEW PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Ceramic cement can be poured and cast into molds, forms and shapes. It can be foamed chemically, or when mixed with lightweight aggregates (e.g., perlite, pumice, etc.) or other substances that can be converted to a syntactic product. Ceramic cement can also be poured in sheet form, with or without aggregate fillers, and it can be pour-cast into dimensional shapes that are stable and strong.

Unlike portland cement, ceramic cement will properly setup and cure in the presence of water and saltwater.

Roof tiles and shakes manufactured with ceramic cement will be 100% fire proof, impermeable, long lasting, and weight competitive (300 to 350 pounds per roof square).

Ceramic cement has been applied to OSB and tested. The result is an upgraded OSB material that is 100% moisture proof and fireproof. A coating at 1/8" to 3/16" will accomplish the task.

Ceramic cement is an excellent product for construction applications such as building repair, roadway, bridge deck and airport surface repair. The ceramic cement material lends itself to the casting of lighter weight and faster production underground vault systems as well as underground piping.

The type and volume of filler/aggregate/reinforcements combined with ceramic cement will impact the unit costs and performance ratings.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PROPERTIES

• Ceramic cement comes in several variations, "Neat" and "Foamed" and can be poured in a slurry or sprayed:
• CeraLith can conduct electricity … or not (depending on the formulation).
• CeraLith can conduct heat … or not (depending on the formulation).
• Ceramic cement can be formulated to just about any desired specifications.
• Ceramic cement will not accept water … or can be porous (depending on the formulation).
• Ceramic cement can be very dense … or not (depending on application).
• Ceramic cement can weigh 40 lbs PSF or 200 lbs PSF.
• Ceramic cement will float … or not (depending on application).
• Ceramic cement will absorb impact or withstand impact.
• Ceramic cement will accept nails and other conventional fasteners.
• Many types of glues are compatible with ceramic cement.
• Many water-based polymers are compatible with ceramic cement and enhance its performance characteristics.
• Ceramic cement can be provided in any color or shade and in any pattern desired.
• Silk screened designs can be applied to plastic film that forms the bottom of a mold or continuous form that melts and bonds the pattern to the ceramic cement substrata, forming faux stone such as marble or floor/roof tiles.
• Ceramic cement will not burn:
• Ceramic cement is an excellent fire retardant and insulator.
• When foamed ceramic cement is light enough to be used as the core of fire doors.
• When formulated "neat," ceramic cement is a superior fire shield and barrier.
• When sprayed upon wood or steel ceramic cement forms a permanent bonded fire shield/insulator that is both tough and aesthetically pleasing.
• Ceramic cement will not burn, intense heat will glaze the surface in the neat version and slightly char and discolor the foamed version. Heat and pressure increases the strength, hardness, and structural integrity of ceramic cement due to sintering.

Characteristics Compared to Portland cement:

• Ceramic cement is superior to portland cement in every respect.
• Ceramic cement is nontoxic and environmentally safe. Portland cement creates significant environmental problems in its production, use and demolition.
• Ceramic cement is cost effective compared to portland cement.
• Ceramic cement performs well in wet environments:
• Ceramic cement bonds under water and saltwater with any porous or metal surface, wet or dry, clean or dirty.
• Ceramic cement converts water into a non-reversible crystalline form.
• Ceramic cement can enhance or replace wood and cement:
• Ceramic cement can replace many construction materials.
• Ceramic cement enhance or replaces wood, plastic, metal, and cement in the typical home.
• Ceramic cement makes excellent counter tops, which are permanently bonded to the structure effectively becoming a structural member of the building.
• Ceramic cement bonds and cures to all construction materials, and the CeraLith spray applications can seal and extend the useful life of existing wood, steel, and cement structures.
• ....">

So that's an interesting development.

Kind Regards....

Thank you. Very helpful.

Here is a web site for a company called Rubb Building Systems. PENNDOT has a couple of their salt shed structures at their maintenance stockyards.

http://www.rubb.com/products-bulk-storage-salt-sheds.asp