Search results

This work seeks to present a systematic study that aimed to provide quantitative understanding of the fundamental factors that influence the chloride threshold of pitting corrosion of steel in concrete, by conducting a set of laboratory tests to assess the corrosion potential (E_corr) and pitting potential (E_pit) of steel coupons in simulated concrete pore solutions.

With the aid of artificial neural network, the laboratory data were used to establish a phenomenological model correlating the influential factors (total chloride concentration, chloride binding, solution pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration) with the pitting risk (characterized by E_corr−E_pit). Three‐dimensional response surfaces were then constructed to illustrate such predicted correlations and to shed light on the complex interactions between various influential factors.

The results indicate that the threshold [Cl⁻]/[OH⁻] of steel rebar in simulated concrete pore solutions is a function of DO concentration, pH and chloride binding, instead of a unique value.

The limitations and implications of the research findings were also discussed.

This research could have significant practical implications in predicting the service life of new or existing reinforced concrete in chloride‐laden environments.

This study further advances the knowledge base relevant to the chloride‐induced corrosion of steel rebar in concrete.

Aluminum tripolyphosphate was used as a corrosion inhibitor in a simulated concrete pore solution. For studies of the inhibition mechanism of aluminum tripolyphosphate on the carbon steel, its influence on the pitting initiation on the carbon steel in a Cl⁻ containing pore solution were investigated.

Potentiodynamic polarization curves, Mott–Schottky plots and potentiostatic polarization of the carbon steel in the pore solution with different content of aluminum tripolyphosphate were measured, as well as the optical micrographs of pitting on the carbon steel was observed.

The metastable pitting potential and the stable pitting potential increased, while the donor density and the flat band potential decreased with the concentration of aluminum tripolyphosphate in solution. Furthermore, the initiation of pitting was suppressed, as well as the transition from metastable to stable pitting was hindered by the aluminum tripolyphosphate. The scale parameter (a), in the extreme distribution of the maximum current peak, could be used to predict the transition from metastable to stable pitting.

The inhibition mechanism of aluminum tripolyphosphate on carbon steel in pore solution was revealed. It suppresses the initiation of pitting and hinders the transition from metastable to stable pitting. Furthermore, a parameter defined as the scale parameter (a) in the extreme distribution of the maximum current peak was introduced to predict the transition from metastable to stable pitting.

The aim of this research was to develop corrosion protection systems for reinforced concrete structures under chloride attack. Benzotriazole (BTA) and BTA derivatives were used as corrosion protection materials for the steel.

The effect of BTA and four other BTA derivatives on the corrosion resistance of steel in simulated concrete pore (SCP) solutions was studied. BTA derivatives were used as two separate protection systems: inhibition and pickling protection systems. The experiments were performed in SCP solutions which simulated concrete with and without severe chloride attacks. Electrochemical techniques, i.e. potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to assess the steel corrosion protection systems.

The potentiodynamic polarization studies showed an increase in the pitting potential for all protection systems tested. In addition, a large increase in the steel solution interfacial resistance was observed by electrochemical impedance studies (EIS) due to the formation of steel‐BTA derivatives complex on the surface. This film was formed on the steel surface with either mono‐or bi‐dentate bonds between the triazolic nitrogen ring and the steel surface as shown by the FTIR.

BTA derivatives provided good protection for steel in SCP solutions, indicating their applicability in reinforced concrete structures. However, tests using reinforced concrete samples are required to study possible interactions between steel, BTA derivatives and concrete constitutes, e.g. sand, gravel, cement and chemical admixtures. These BTA‐based systems also should be studied under carbonation attack.

BTA derivatives provided a good protection for steel in the SCP solutions, and this indicates the applicability to use them in reinforced concrete structures.

This paper aims to clarify the semi-conductive behavior of the passive layer formed in concrete environment without and with presence of chloride ions under different loading conditions. Passivation and depassivation of steel play an essential role in the subsequent stages of the corrosion process. Due to the nature of passive films on metals, they show electrochemical properties of a semi-conductor.

A C-ring model was proposed in this experiment to induce stress on the specimens. Specimens under different levels of compressive and tensile loadings were exposed to chloride-free and chloride-contaminated solutions and their semi-conductive behavior was investigated using Mott–Schottky technique.

Irrespective of the type and magnitude of the applied load, the passive film on rebars in simulated concrete pore solution is a highly disordered n-type semi-conductor. In all specimens, the presence of chloride ions decreases the slope of the Mott-Schottky plots, the donor density and the space charge layer thickness, which leads to a thinner passive film. Results indicate that steel specimens immersed in chloride-free pore solution under tensile loadings passivate more rapidly compared to those under compressive loadings. However, the situation in chloride-contaminated solution is different, and steel under tensile stress exhibits more corrosion than steel under compressive stress or under no load.

Reinforced concrete structures inevitably experience variable mechanical loads, and continuous degradation from aggressive environments. Therefore, it is imperative to study the synergic impact of different types of mechanical loadings and exposure to chloride ions on this process. This paper fulfils this need.

This paper aims to study the effect of chloride concentration on the properties of passive film formed on Q235 steel in simulated concrete pore solutions.

Mott–Schottky analysis and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to study the passive film of Q235 steel in simulated concrete pore solution. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to analyze the composition of passive film on Q235 steel.

When the chloride concentration is below the chloride threshold value, open circuit potential (OCP) and Rct gradually increases and donor concentration (N_D) remains unchanged with the increasing immersion time. When the chloride concentration exceeds chloride threshold value, OCP and Rct decreases after a temporary increase and N_D increases. The linear region of the Mott–Schottky curve lost its linearity. The electrochemical process control step is changed from charge transfer control to oxygen diffusion control. As the chloride concentration increases, the FeO content in the passive film increases and the Fe₂O₃ content decreases. Chloride can destroy the outer layer of passive film and introduce impurities.

The effects of chloride and immersion time on the change process of passive films on Q235 steel in simulated concrete pore solution were studied using electrochemical methods. The mechanism of chloride destroying passive film was analyzed.

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate if there is a loss in bond strength between galvanized steel used as reinforcement, and concrete of water‐to‐cement (w/c) ratio of 0.4 and 0.5, after both types of sample were cured for seven, 21 and 28 days in saturated calcium hydroxide solution, and without curing. The air permeability of the concrete was investigated at the interfacial zone.

Structural low‐carbon steel and galvanized steel were embedded in concrete samples, prepared with Portland cement type I and limestone (calcite 94‐97 percent) aggregates. The bond strength between the concrete and the reinforcing bars was measured by means of pull‐out tests.

In concrete of w/c=0.4 the bond for galvanized steel was 5.4±0.5 MPa, while the bond for black steel was 5.8±0.5 MPa, which is 7 percent higher than bond strength measured for samples with galvanized steel rebars. The bond strength for galvanized steel in concrete with a w/c ratio 0.5 was 5.5±0.6 MPa, which was 9 percent higher than the values obtained for black steel, which was 5.0±1 MPa. The total average bond strength of galvanized steel in concrete of w/c ratio 0.4 (5.4±0.5 MPa) and w/c ratio 0.5 (5.5±0.6 MPa) was very similar. They differed by only 2 percent. No decrease in the air permeability at the interfacial zone concrete/galvanized steel was found due to curing.

This research gives quantitative data on the behavior of galvanized steel used as reinforcing bars in concrete, prepared with limestone aggregates. The results might help to increase the reliability of galvanized reinforcing steel used in infrastructure exposed to very aggressive tropical humid marine environments.

This paper aims to study the influence of the addition of calcium nitrite on the passive films of rebar to reveal what causes calcium nitrite to further prolong the durability service life of the reinforced concrete structures.

A comprehensive experimental study of the passive films, such as components, surface morphologies, electric structure and compactness, was carried out in a saturated calcium hydroxide solution which is normally used to simulate concrete pore solution by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, Mott–Schottky and potentiostatic polarization, respectively.

The results showed that the passivation behavior of rebar has been changed dramatically by the addition of calcium nitrite. That is, the passive film formed in the solution with the addition of 10 g/L Ca(NO₂)₂ had less donor density (Nd), more positive plat potential, smoother surface and lower content of Fe_hydrox than that formed in the solution without Ca(NO₂)₂.

The study focuses on the passive films and provides a more clear cognition of the durability service life extension of the reinforced concrete structures caused by the addition of calcium nitrite.

The performance of reinforcing steel bars (rebars) coated with two different rust conversion coatings was analysed by means of electrochemical methods. Two exposure conditions were investigated, immersion in a pH 14 solution simulating pores in standard concrete, and immersion in a pH 9 solution simulating pore environments in carbonated concrete. The rebar corrosion potential (E_corr), the corrosion rate (CR) and the electrochemical impedance (Z) were measured over 3 weeks. None of the products investigated helped to improve the resistance of steel against corrosion. Some parameters even indicated a detrimental action, particularly as the alkalinity of the solutions increased. Therefore, the application of this type of coating cannot be recommended during repair procedures of reinforced concrete structures due to the extremely alkaline environment provided by concrete.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a method for predicting the chloride ingress into concrete structures, with an emphasis on the low temperature range where freeze-thaw cycles may cause damage.

The different phenomena that contribute to the rate and amount of transported chlorides into concrete, i.e., heat transfer, moisture transport and chloride diffusion are modeled using a two-dimensional nonlinear time dependent finite element method. In modeling the chloride transport, a modified version of Fick’s second law is used, in which processes of diffusion and convection due to water movement are taken into account. Besides, the effect of freeze-thaw cycles is directly incorporated in the governing equation and linked to temperature variation using a coupling term that is determined in this study. The proposed finite element model and its associated program are capable of handling pertinent material nonlinearities and variable boundary conditions that simulate real exposure situations.

The numerical performance of the model was examined through few examples to investigate its ability to simulate chloride penetration under freeze-thaw cycles and its sensitivity to factors controlling freeze-thaw damage. It was also proved that yearly temperature variation models to be used in service life assessment should take into account its cyclic nature to obtain realistic predictions.

The model proved promising and suitable for chloride penetration in cold climates.

Besides with a large amount of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions in seawater, the presence of Mg⁺² and SO₄⁻² ions builds more complex corrosion mechanism. This paper aims to investigate the corrosion of embedded reinforcement in concrete with the environment of both Cl⁻ and SO₄⁻² anions associated Mg⁺² cation.

The concrete specimens were prepared by using ordinary Portland cement (OPC), and OPC blended with metakaolin (MK) for water to cementitious material ratio (w/cm) 0.48 and 0.51. The concrete mixes were contaminated with the addition of MgCl₂ alone and combined MgCl₂ and MgSO₄ in mix water. Reinforcement corrosion was evaluated by half-cell potential and corrosion current densities (I_corr) at regular intervals. Moreover, the influence of cementitious material type, salt type and w/cm ratio on electrical resistivity of concrete was also investigated. The statistical models were developed for electrical resistivity as a function of calcium to aluminium content ratio, compressive strength, w/cm ratio and age of concrete.

Although the corrosion initiation time increases in the concomitant presence of MgSO₄ and MgCl₂ as internal source compared to MgCl₂, I_corr values are higher in both OPC and MK blended concrete. However, electrical resistivity decreased with addition of MgSO₄. MK blended concrete performed better with increased resistivity, corrosion initiation time and decreased I_corr values.

This study reports statistical distributions for scattered I_corr of rebar in different concrete mixtures. Stepwise regression models were developed for resistivity by considering the interactions among different variables, which would help to estimate the resistivity through basic information.