The Growing Case Against Magnesium Chloride

Several years ago, in light of the wealth of scientific information on the concrete damaging effects of magnesium chloride, Ossian eliminated all usage of the the de-icing chemical magnesium chloride in our formulations. We feel that the case against magnesium chloride is strong enough that we do not feel comfortable recommending it to our customers. The links below are a small collection of the growing scientific data we have found on the subject.

Effects of Deicers on Concrete Deterioration
David Darwin, JoAnn Browning, Lien Gong, Sean R. Hughes
Structural Engineering and Materials Laboratory, University of Kansas

Magnesium Chloride as a Road Deicer: A Critical Review
Peter G. Snow, FACI
Burns Concrete, Inc.
Idaho Falls, Idaho

1998 Transportation Conference Proceedings
PCC Pavement Deterioration and Expansive Mineral Growth
Hyomin Lee, Anita M. Cody, Robert D. Cody and Paul G. Spry
Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University

Semiseqicentennial Transportation Conference
The Formation of Rims on Dolomite Aggregate in Iowa Concrete
Paul G. Spry, Guo-Lian Gan, Robert D. Cody and Anita M. Cody
Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University
http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/PUBS/semisesq/session1/spry/index.htm

Semiseqicentennial Transportation Conference
Concrete Deterioration by Deicing Salts: An Experimental Study
Robert D. Cody, Anita M. Cody, Paul G. Spry and Guo-Lian Gan
Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University
http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/pubs/semisesq/session1/cody/

Mid-Continent Transportation Symposium
Effects of Various Deicing Chemicals on Pavement Concrete Deterioration
Hyomin Lee, Robert D. Cody, Anita M. Cody, and Paul G. Spry
Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University
http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/pubs/midcon/Lee.pdf

Iowa DOT HR-384, Final Report
Expansive Mineral Growth and Concrete Deterioration
Project Development Division of the Iowa Department of Transportation
The Iowa Highway Research Board
Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University

Iowa DOT HR-355, Final Report
The Role of Magnesium in Concrete Deterioration
Project Development Division of the Iowa Department of Transportation
The Iowa Highway Research Board
Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University