Reinforced concrete--Corrosion

The study of non-invasive techniques to analyze the propagation of corrosion in steel reinforced concrete structures proves to be a great alternative to better understanding the corrosive process of rebar and increasing its useful life. The study presented in this document examines the evolution of steel reinforced concrete corrosion over time by applying a small anodic current over four samples, one with a single rebar (16X) and three with three rebars. The rebars were interconnected to apply the anodic current and accelerate their corrosion. Galvanostatic Pulse (GP) was used. This method applies a constant current pulse to the rebar for 150 seconds while monitoring the potential of the rebars. Each rebar's corrosion current was assessed using GP measurements when no anodic current was applied, and the rebars were disconnected. Sample 16X additionally underwent ultrasonic acoustic analysis by collecting the surface and rebar echo response with a transducer and modeling the sound propagation for poroelastic media with an adapted version of the novel Biot-Stoll method.

Corrosion damage is the mam cause of deterioration for reinforced concrete
marine structures. Given the current economic downturn, it has become increasingly
important to repair existing structures with techniques that prolong their life-cycle. The
process to identify suitable repairs is affected by the lack of a consistent methodology to
predict the outcome of the repairs. This investigation intends to compare the
performance of seven different repairs, in terms of corrosion resistance, structural
integrity, and cost-effectiveness. Following initial exposure to corrosion, the specimens
were repaired using the proposed techniques. They were then tested for durability under
simulated tidal conditions with periodic corrosion monitoring. The structural integrity
was evaluated by crack scoring and ultimate load testing, and a comprehensive evaluation
matrix was prepared, to determine which repairs were most adequate for corrosion
damage. The results of this investigation substantiate that the repairs including carbon
wrapping, HDPE jacketing, and MMFX steel, outperformed the rest of the repairs.

Steel reinforced concrete specimens of loaded and unloaded
configuration were placed in contact with seawater in a state of
accelerated corrosion. They were simultaneously monitored for acoustic
emission and the results were analyzed in an evaluation of the use of
acoustic emission as a nondestructive monitor of corrosion induced
cracking. It was shown that, in a laboratory environment, counts and
amplitude information are sensitive indicators of the levels of
cracking within the concrete specimen; and thereby the degree of
corrosion damage may be inferred. Analytical models applicable to the
representation of acoustic emission amplitude distribution are
discussed also.

The present research focused on the behavior of arc sprayed zinc and zinc-aluminum coatings on concrete specimens exposed to specific relative humidity environments (100, 85, 60 and 25% RH) and with specific chloride contents (0.0, 3.0, 5.9 and 11.8 kg/m^3). All specimens experienced a decline in current output with time. Anode wastage and formation of oxidation products were mainly responsible for this lack of protection in 100 and 85% RH, whereas for 60 and 25% RH, drying of the concrete and long-term polarization of the anode were the key factors. Validity of the DC measurements was verified with slope parameter analysis on selected specimens. In addition, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy was performed on the galvanic anode and an equivalent circuit model was obtained for the zinc-concrete interface.

Durability of marine reinforced and unreinforced concretes was tested under accelerated environmental conditions. The specimens were subjected to alternate wet and dry cycles in specially constructed durability testing tanks. The specific objective was to evaluate the durability of different types of concretes with varying water-cementitious material ratios (0.3, 0.4, and 0.6), cement types (Types I and II), mineral admixtures (blast furnace slag, fly ash, microsilica), and steel types (black, galvinized and epoxy-coated rebars). The unreinforced cylindrical specimens were tested for compressive and splitting tensile strengths and the reinforced prismatic specimens for corrosion. The test results after 300 cycles of accelerated exposure indicated the adverse effects of the marine environment on the durability of concretes, resulting in loss of strength and corrosion resistance. The specimens with lower w/c ratios (0.3 and 0.4) showed good performance, whether or not they were admixture modified. However, mineral admixture inclusions improved the properties of strength and corrosion resistance of the specimens even with high w/c ratios (0.6). The specimens with regular rebars indicated least resistance to corrosion induced from the accelerated marine exposure compared to the ones with galvanized and epoxy-coated rebars.

Pretensioned concrete members require a certain bond strength between the steel and concrete to maintain prestress force. Previous studies have indicated that when reinforcing steel in concrete is cathodically polarized, a chemical change of the cement near the steel-concrete interface occurs; and this can reduce the bond strength. In the present research experiments were conducted with concrete specimens that contained either a non-stressed seven wire steel tendon or a single strand through the longitudinal direction. The specimens were cathodically polarized with current densities ranging between 50 and 2500 mA/m^2 of steel. Upon achieving a pre-determined charge density transfer, the steel was pulled relative to the concrete until the bond was broken. Results indicate that a total charge density transfer of up to 14000 A*h/m^2 of steel, may introduce an average 16 percent decrease in ultimate bond strength. This and other data were evaluated in order to assess if cathodic protection, as utilized for corrosion control, is likely to compromise structural integrity of pretensioned concrete members and structures.

Dimensional changes of thin cement paste specimens were monitored during exposure to distilled water, hydrochloric acid, alkaline and FeCl$\sb2$ solutions; and comparison was made with the experimental results obtained by other authors. Post experimental examination of reaction products formed on the specimen surface exposed to FeCl$\sb2$ was conducted using X-Ray diffraction. The data resulting from the measured dimensional changes were input to a finite element model to project the stresses that should occur in association with localized corrosion of embedded steel and wetting of adjacent cement by aqueous FeCl$\sb2$. Implications of the findings with regard to cement and concrete cracking in association with embedded metal corrosion are discussed.

The effect of corrosion on the fatigue life of reinforced concrete beams is studied. Two analytical models are developed to study the chloride diffusion in concrete and the percent reduction in fatigue lives in seawater as compared to air. An initial stress equivalent to the tensile strength of concrete is induced in the rebar to simulate the corrosive nature of marine environment. The analytical values are compared with the available experimental data.

Experiments were conducted on a simulated reinforced concrete bridge deck to test different anodes as part of a cathodic protection system. Both carbon based and titanium based anodes were tested. All the anodes were driven at predetermined current densities. Current off polarized potentials of steel and anode were monitored over six months. After this period, cores were extracted from slabs containing a part of anode and steel and then broken at the anode-concrete and steel-concrete interface to measure the pH at these interfaces. Differences in the pH values at the anode-concrete interface were compared to determine the performance of the different anodes. Carbon based anodes operated at a higher potential and produced anode corrosion products of lower pH when compared to titanium based anodes.

The objective of this study was to determine the influences of chlorides, pH and surface films on the corrosion of reinforcing steel in alkaline solutions. Anodic and linear polarization experiments were conducted on 1018 steel specimens exposed to these environments. The results indicate that there is a threshold amount of [Cl-] beyond which passivity is compromised. The i-passive in the electrolyte of pH 12.24 was approximately 0.01 of that in the electrolyte of pH 10.13. At least a one day period was necessary for the effect of the excess crystals of Ca(OH)2 to be felt. Corrosion rates of specimen with a Ca(OH)2 surface film were lower than without this film. [Cl-] /[OH-] in the range 2.5 to 3.5 appeared to be the threshold for breakdown of passivity.