Relationships between anodic polarisation and corrosion of steel in concrete

Corrosion of reinforcement in concrete is a topic of concern mainly because of the high cost of repair and rehabilitation of concrete structural elements. There is as yet no method of assessment that would enable the rapid and accurate prediction of the extent of corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete on site. Half cell potential techniques commonly used in situ give only probabilistic information on corrosion activity. Research effort is thus needed in both investigating and developing methods to assess more accurately the corrosion characteristics of steel in concrete with an ultimate view of site application. Long-term investigations on chloride induced corrosion of steel reinforcement have been conducted on a series of concrete slab specimens to establish relationships between electrochemical data and chloride induced corrosion of steel reinforcement. Potentiodynamic anodic polarisation procedures were used to monitor corrosion of steel reinforcement in concrete slab specimens over a period of four years. A statistically significant relationship between the area under the corrosion current and time relationship and the weight loss of steel reinforcement was established. Assessments of corrosion rates of steel in the concretes studied were thus verified. Reinforcement corrosion was found to be localised under the high chloride conditions occurring mainly in an area adjacent to the chloride source.     

Sensitivity analysis of simplified diffusion-based corrosion initiation model of concrete structures exposed to chlorides

This paper presents the results of a sensitivity analysis of the diffusion-based corrosion initiation model for reinforced concrete structures built in chloride-laden environments. Analytical differentiation techniques are used to determine the sensitivity of the time to corrosion initiation to the four governing parameters of the model, which include chloride diffusivity in concrete, chloride threshold level of steel reinforcement, concrete cover depth, and surface chloride concentration. For conventional carbon steel, the time to corrosion initiation is found to be most sensitive to concrete cover depth, followed by chloride diffusion coefficient, with normalized sensitivity coefficients of about 2 and − 1. For corrosion resistant steels, the time to corrosion initiation is most sensitive to the surface chloride concentration and chloride threshold level followed by the concrete cover depth and chloride diffusion coefficient. The results of this sensitivity analysis are discussed in detail, including the variations in predicted time to corrosion initiation induced by variations of the four model parameters and their implications for the design and maintenance of concrete structures built in corrosive environments.     

Corrosion behaviour of innovative stainless steels in mortar

The main problem of the building sector is the limited durability of reinforcing concrete structures under highly aggressive environments due to the corrosion of reinforcements. In order to demonstrate that stainless steels are the adequate solution to avoid corrosion of reinforced concrete structures by contained chlorides, the corrosion behaviour of AISI 304 and AISI 316L stainless steels in mortar with two chloride doses is compared with the corrosion behaviour of three new stainless steels of low Ni content and reduced cost, and with the traditional carbon steel. The lowest chloride contamination (2% Cl⁻) has been used in this research to provoke corrosion in an active state of reinforcing carbon steel, whereas the highest one (5% Cl⁻) exceeds all expected levels found in the natural environment, including sea water. The new stainless steels remain in the passive state in mortar specimens with both chloride contents.     

Comparing corrosion measurement methods to assess the corrosion activity of laboratory OPC and HPC concrete specimens

The corrosion of reinforcing steels in concrete is the main reason for the deterioration of bridge decks. An accurate method for measuring corrosion is a fundamental prerequisite for the detection of damaged areas and for planning an effective method for repairing bridge decks. A laboratory study was conducted to estimate the corrosion activity of a reinforcing steel embedded in two types of concrete, ordinary and high-performance, using different corrosion measurement methods. Results indicated that Tafel plot (TP), linear polarization resistance, half-cell potential (HCP), and chloride content methods would assess the same level of corrosion activity in only 24% of specimens.     

Effect of temperature on the corrosion behaviour of low-nickel duplex stainless steel bars in concrete

Stainless steel reinforcing bars can be a means for prolonging the service life of reinforced concrete structures exposed to tropical climates. To select a suitable grade of stainless steel according to exposure conditions and design service life, the definition of the chloride threshold for pitting corrosion initiation is required. This paper investigates the effect of temperature in the range 20–60 °C on the resistance to chloride-induced corrosion of low-nickel duplex stainless steel rebars and, for comparison, of traditional austenitic stainless steel rebars. Tests in concrete and in solutions simulating the concrete pore liquid were performed and an attempt to evaluate the chloride threshold levels for corrosion initiation was carried out. Results showed lower corrosion resistance and higher sensitivity to increase in temperature for low-nickel duplex stainless steel bars compared to traditional austenitic stainless steels.     

Field indicator of chloride penetration depth

Chloride-induced corrosion of steel reinforcement is causing serious damage to many concrete structures. A number of methods to evaluate the chloride penetration into concrete have been developed. The most common practice in measuring the chloride profile is very time consuming. A simple colourimetric method of measuring the depth of chloride penetration into concrete by spraying a 0.1-N AgNO₃ solution is very attractive. But some questions have been raised about its sensitivity. In this article, the results from colourimetric tests and the corresponding quantity of chloride detected at the colour-change boundary, determined for more than 70 concrete samples, are given. The magnitude and variation of chloride concentrations are compared with those reported in the literature and evaluated in relation to typical chloride threshold values. In addition, a relationship between the colourimetric penetration depth and the charge passed during testing to ASTM C1202 is shown.     

Corrosion behaviour of new stainless steels reinforcing bars embedded in concrete

The activities concerned with the evaluation, repair and restoration of structures are estimated to amount to 35% of the total volume of the work in the building sector and this continues to increase. The corrosion of rebars in the reinforced concrete structures (RCS) is the main reason for their degradation, so the use of reinforcing stainless steels seems to be one of the possible solutions with most probabilities of solving this problem. In this work, in order to demonstrate the advantages of using reinforcing stainless steels, the corrosion behaviour of AISI 304 and 316 reinforcements embedded in concrete slabs (C35/45 and C60/70 concrete) with two chloride contents are compared with three low-cost and low-Ni austenoferritic stainless steels and with the conventional carbon steel. The lower chloride contamination selected in this research, was enough to cause the corrosion in the active state of the carbon steel reinforcements, whereas the highest one exceeded the expected contamination in the natural environments, including sea media. The metallic materials remaining in the passive state can be considered, from the point of view of corrosion resistance, adequate as reinforcements in the RCS.     

Improvement of the chloride ingress resistance of OPC mortars by using spent cracking catalyst

The influence of the incorporation of spent cracking catalyst (FC3R) on the chloride ingress resistance has been evaluated. Thermogravimetric analyses have shown that the pozzolanic reaction of FC3R yields higher contents of hydrated calcium aluminates and silicoaluminates, so chloride binding capacity of mortars was highly improved. Mercury intrusion porosimetry analyses demonstrated that FC3R produces a significant reduction of capillary pore volume. As a result non-steady-state and steady-state chloride diffusion coefficients were reduced, enhancing the chloride ingress resistance of mortars incorporating FC3R. Additionally, the corrosion behaviour of steel embedded in Portland cement mortars partially substituted by spent cracking catalyst (FC3R) under chloride attack has been studied. Results showed that the incorporation of FC3R decreased the corrosion rates of steels and increased chloride thresholds for corrosion. For this reason, FC3R is an interesting pozzolanic material that can be used in reinforced concrete for civil engineering applications exposed to the action of chlorides.     

Corrosion by chlorides in reinforced concrete: Determination of chloride concentration threshold by impedance spectroscopy

Chloride penetration in reinforced concrete induces depassivation of the steel rebars and initiation of the corrosion process leading to degradation of the structure. The coupling of “low-frequency” impedance response with SEM observations and multielementary analyses emphasized that the strong decrease of the capacitive part is related to the corrosion initiation. This experimentally determined incubation period is used in an electrodiffusion model based on Fick's second law to quantify the chloride concentration threshold responsible for corrosion initiation on the reinforcing steel surface. This work thus allowed quantifying the incubation period and the critical chloride concentration, referred to in Tuutti's diagram [K. Tuutti, Corrosion of steel in concrete, CBI Research Report no. 4.82, Swedish Cement and Concrete Research Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, 1982].     

Spatial distribution of crystalline corrosion products formed during corrosion of stainless steel in concrete

The mineralogy and spatial distribution of nano-crystalline corrosion products that form in the steel/concrete interface were characterized using synchrotron X-ray micro-diffraction (μ-XRD). Two types of low-nickel high-chromium reinforcing steels embedded into mortar and exposed to NaCl solution were investigated. Corrosion in the samples was confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). μ-XRD revealed that goethite (α-FeOOH) and akaganeite (β-FeOOH) are the main iron oxide–hydroxides formed during the chloride-induced corrosion of stainless steel in concrete. Goethite is formed closer to the surface of the steel due to the presence of chromium in the steel, while akaganeite is formed further away from the surface due to the presence of chloride ions. Detailed microstructural analysis is shown and discussed on one sample of each type of steel.     

An experimental study on corrosion resistance of concrete with ground granulate blast-furnace slag

This paper presents experimental test results on corrosion resistance of concrete containing ground granulate blast-furnace slag (GGBS) and ASTM Type I or ASTM Type V cement. To investigate the problem, a series of tests were performed. First, rapid chloride permeability tests were executed in accordance with ASTM C 1202 to determine the qualitative terms of chloride-ion penetrability. Second, accelerated chloride-ion diffusion tests were done to calculate diffusion coefficients of chloride-ions permeated through concrete specimens. Third, accelerated steel corrosion tests were carried out by using the repeated wetting and drying technique. Fourth, half-cell potential tests were implemented in accordance with ASTM C 876 to evaluate the probability of steel corrosion. Finally, the surface area of corrosion on embedded steel in concrete specimens was measured to confirm half-cell test results. Test results showed that the coefficient of permeability of Type I cement concrete was lower than that of Type V cement concrete. All the concrete mixed with GGBS exhibited lower diffusion coefficient, compared to GGBS-free concrete. Moreover, the corrosion probability of steel bar in Type V cement concrete was higher than that of steel bar in Type I cement concrete. Based on the test results, it is suggested that much stronger corrosion resistance can be achieved, if higher volume of GGBS is added in Type I cement rather than Type V cement.     

Corrosion monitoring of reinforcing steel in cement mortar by EIS and ENA

Health degradation by corrosion of steel in civil engineering, especially in rough environment, is a persistent problem. Environment pollution and global warming will exacerbate this problem. The assessment of whole-life costing and residual service life prediction of structures is very important. Pitting corrosion is the most important factor which influences the service life of the reinforced concrete structures in many chloride included environments. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) method is used to study the corrosion process of reinforcing steel in cement mortar. According to the results of the experiments, dispersion and diffusing effect control the electrochemical process of carbon steel corrosion in the cement mortar. By fitting the results with EC, the parameters about CPE and Warburg impedance are calculated. The pitting corrosion behavior of reinforcing steel in cement mortar has been studied by electrochemical noise analysis (ENA) method, the wavelet transform has been employed to analyze the EN data of reinforcing steel in mortar, and the energy distribution plot (EDP) is plotted. The experimental results show that the change of EDP during the corrosion process can qualitatively reveal useful information on corrosion mechanisms.     

Corrosion behavior of reinforcing steel in simulated concrete pore solutions: A scanning micro-reference electrode study

The scanning micro-reference electrode (SMRE) technique was used to study the corrosion behavior of reinforcing steel in simulated concrete pore (SCP) solutions with different pH values. The early stage as well as the propagation of the localized corrosion of reinforcing steel in different solutions was explored. The results indicated that the potential distribution on the reinforcing steel surface changed in homeostasis and the steel remained passive in the pure simulated concrete pore solution. The solution pH had a significant effect on the localized corrosion of reinforcing steel, and the critical pH value for localized corrosion of reinforcing steel in SCP solutions was between 11.46 and 11.31.     

Effect of cement type on the corrosion of reinforcing steel bars exposed to acidic media using electrochemical techniques

The effect of different percentages of cement components (tricalcium aluminate C₃A) on the corrosion of embedded reinforcing steel bars was studied in presence of 5% NaCl or 5% MgSO₄ solutions. Different electrochemical techniques namely; half-cell potential measurement, impressed voltage method and impressed current method were used. The C₃A in cement reduced greatly the corrosion of steel bars embedded in concrete subjected to chloride or sulphate solutions. In chloride solution, as the percent of C₃A increased in cement from 2% to 10% the steel corrosion decreased proportionally. The rate of corrosion in 5% MgSO₄ solution was decreased as the percent of C₃A increased from 2% to 6%. From 6% to 10% the steel corrosion rate was rapidly accelerated. In general the presence of chloride and sulphate solutions in surrounding media reduced the destructive effect of sulphate ions on embedded steel bars.     

Evaluation on steel bar corrosion embedded in antiwashout underwater concrete containing mineral admixtures

This study aims the evaluation of the corrosion of steel bar embedded in antiwashout underwater concrete, which has rather been neglected to date. To that goal, accelerated steel bar corrosion tests have been performed for three series of steel bar-reinforced antiwashout underwater concrete specimens manufactured with different admixtures and under different environments. The three series of antiwashout underwater concrete were: concrete constituted exclusively by ordinary portland cement (OPC), concrete composed by ordinary portland cement mixed with fly-ash in 20% ratio (FA20) and concrete with ground granulated blast furnace slag is mixed in 50% ratio (BFS50). And, the three different environments were: manufacture in the air, in tap water, and in artificial seawater.Measurement results using half-cell potential surveyor showed that, among all the specimens, steel bar in OPC manufactured in artificial seawater was the first one that exceeded the threshold value proposed by ASTM C 876 with a potential value below − 350 mV after 14 cycles. And, the corresponding corrosion current density and concentration of water soluble chloride were measured as 0.3 μA/cm² and 0.258%. On the other hand, for the other specimens that are FA20 and BFS50, potential values below − 350 mV were observed later at 18 and 20 cycles, respectively.Results confirmed the expectation that mineral admixtures may be more effective in delaying the development of steel bar corrosion in antiwashout underwater concrete.     

Reinforcement corrosion initiation and activation times in concrete structures exposed to severe marine environments

The corrosion of steel reinforcement bars in reinforced concrete structures exposed to severe marine environments usually is attributed to the aggressive nature of chloride ions. In some cases in practice corrosion has been observed to commence already within a few years of exposure even with considerable concrete cover to the reinforcement and apparently high quality concretes. However, there are a number of other cases in practice for which corrosion initiation took much longer, even in cases with quite modest concrete cover and modest concrete quality. Many of these structures show satisfactory long-term structural performance, despite having high levels of localized chloride concentrations at the reinforcement. This disparity was noted already more than 50 years ago, but appears still not fully explained. This paper presents a systematic overview of cases reported in the engineering and corrosion literature and considers possible reasons for these differences. Consistent with observations by others, the data show that concretes made from blast furnace cements have better corrosion durability properties. The data also strongly suggest that concretes made with limestone or non-reactive dolomite aggregates or sufficiently high levels of other forms of calcium carbonates have favourable reinforcement corrosion properties. Both corrosion initiation and the onset of significant damage are delayed. Some possible reasons for this are explored briefly.     

Nickel-free manganese bearing stainless steel in alkaline media—Electrochemistry and surface chemistry

The use of austenitic nickel-containing stainless steels as concrete reinforcement offers excellent corrosion protection for concrete structures in harsh chloride bearing environments but is often limited due to the very high costs of these materials. Manganese bearing nickel-free stainless steels can be a cost-effective alternative for corrosion resistant reinforcements. Little, however, is known about the electrochemistry and even less on surface chemistry of these materials in alkaline media simulating concrete pore solutions. In this work a combined electrochemical (ocp = open circuit potential) and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) surface analytical investigation on the austenitic manganese bearing DIN 1.4456 (X8CrMnMoN18-18-2) stainless steel immersed into 0.1 M NaOH and more complex alkaline concrete pore solutions was performed. The results show that the passive film composition changes with immersion time, being progressively enriched in chromium oxy-hydroxide becoming similar to the conventional nickel-containing stainless steels. The composition of the metal interface beneath the passive film is strongly depleted in manganese and enriched in iron; chromium has nearly the nominal composition. The results are discussed regarding the film growth mechanism (ageing) of the new nickel-free stainless steel in alkaline solutions compared to traditional austenitic steels. Combining the results from pitting potential measurements with the composition of the passive film and the underlying metal interface, it can be concluded that the resistance against localized corrosion of the new nickel-free stainless steel relies on the strong chromium(III) and molybdenum (VI) oxy-hydroxide enrichment in the passive film.     

Cover cracking of reinforced concrete due to rebar corrosion induced by chloride penetration

Cracking of concrete cover due to corrosion induced expansion of steel rebar is one of the major causes of the deterioration of reinforced concrete (RC) structures exposed to marine environments and de-icing salts.This paper presents two models that deal with the chloride-induced corrosion and subsequent cracking of concrete cover in RC structures. The former analyses the chloride diffusion within partially saturated concrete. A comprehensive model is developed through the governing equations of moisture, heat and chloride-ion flow. Nonlinearity of diffusion coefficients, chloride binding isotherms and convection phenomena are also highlighted. The latter describes the internal cracking around the bar due to expansive pressures as corrosion of the reinforcing bar progresses. Once a certain chloride concentration threshold is reached in the area surrounding the bar, oxidation of steel begins and oxide products are generated, which occupy much greater volume than the original steel consumed by corrosion. An embedded cohesive crack model is applied for cracking simulation.Both models are incorporated in the same finite element program. The models are chained, though not explicitly coupled, at first instance. Comparisons with experimental results are carried out, with reasonably good agreements being obtained. The work is a step forward for the integration of the two traditional phases (initiation and propagation) widely used in the literature and usually analysed separately. The estimation of the service life of the structure needs to evaluate the associated time for each one.     

Chloride induced corrosion of reinforcing steel evaluated by concrete resistivity measurements

The chloride threshold (Cl_TH) concentration for rebar corrosion initiation has received extensive attention over the last years. The chloride threshold concentration depends on several factors involving concrete composition and quality, exposure conditions and rebar surface characteristics. As a consequence, many researchers have proposed Cl_TH ranges that take into account the relative influence of each of these many factors. On the other hand, the electrical resistivity of concrete has proven to be an effective parameter that can be used to estimate the risk of reinforcing steel corrosion, particularly when corrosion is induced by chloride attack. The present study is based on a correlation of electrochemical parameters such as corrosion potential (E_corr) and current density (i_corr) together with concrete resistivity (ρ) and chloride concentration data. A relationship between chloride threshold values for rebar corrosion initiation and resistivity values (indicative of concrete quality) is proposed. According to this correlation, when the electrical resistivity of concrete increases from 2 to 100 kΩ cm, the value of Cl_TH increases from 0.44 to 2.32% relative to the weight of cement.     

Threshold chloride concentration for stainless steels activation in concrete pore solutions

The threshold chloride concentration for stainless steels activation in concrete environments depends not only on chemical composition of the steel and on pH level of concrete pore solution but is also considerably affected by the superficial state of the steel. The presence of scales leads to significant decrease of corrosion resistance. This study evaluates the corrosion resistance of various stainless steels exposed to pore solutions of fresh concrete by means of electrochemical methods. All tested materials with bare surface, except for martensitic chromium steel FeCr12, proved to be completely resistant to fresh concrete pore solution containing chlorides. If the surface is scaled, the identically high resistance cannot be expected even for the most alloyed stainless steels.