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The purpose of this paper is to compare the effect of rust inhibitors and surface strengthening materials on the service life of RC structures in tropical marine environments and ultimately to provide basis and recommendations for the durability design of reinforced concrete (RC) structures.

Slag concrete specimens mixed with four kinds of rust inhibitors and coated with four kinds of surface strengthening materials were corroded by seawater exposure for 365 days, and the key parameters of chloride ion diffusion were obtained by testing. Then a new service life prediction model, based on the modified model for chloride ion diffusion and reliability theory, was applied to analyze the effect of rust inhibitors and surface strengthening materials on the service life of RC structures in tropical marine environments.

Rust inhibitors and surface strengthening materials can effectively extend the service life of RC structures through different effects on chloride ion diffusion behavior. The effects of rust inhibitors and surface strengthening materials on the service life extension of RC structures adhered to the following trend: silane material > cement-based permeable crystalline waterproof material > hydrophobic plug compound > spray polyurea elastomer > water-based permeable crystalline waterproof material > calcium nitrite > preservative > amino-alcohol composite.

Using a new method for predicting the service life of RC structures, the attenuation law of the service life of RC structures under the action of rust inhibitors and surface strengthening materials in tropical marine environments is obtained.

Coral aggregate seawater concrete (CASC) is a new type of lightweight aggregate concrete that is becoming widely used in reef engineering. To investigate the corrosion behavior of different kinds of rebar in CASC exposed to simulated seawater for 0-270 d, the electrochemical techniques, including linear polarization resistance (LPR) technique and the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), were used in the present work.

The electrochemical techniques, including LPR technique and the EIS, were used in the present work.

Based on the time-varying law of linear polarization curves, self-corrosion potential (E_corr), polarization resistance (R_p), corrosion current density (I_corr), corrosion rate (i), and the characteristics of EIS diagrams for different types of rebar in CASC, it can be found that the anti-corrosion property of them can be ranked as epoxy resin coated steel > 2205 duplex stainless steel (2205S) > 316 L stainless steel (316 L) > organic coated steel > ordinary steel. Additionally, the linear regression equation between R_p and charge transfer resistance (R_ct) was established. Finally, the EIS corrosion standard of rebar was established from the LPR corrosion standard, which provides a direct standard for the EIS technique to determine the condition of rebar in CASC.

The linear regression equation between polarization resistance and charge transfer resistance was established. And the EIS corrosion standard of rebar was established from the LPR corrosion standard, which provides a direct standard for the EIS technique to determine the condition of rebar in CASC.

This paper aims to reduce the cost, limit the time and increase raw material source availability, coral aggregate seawater concrete (CASC) composed of coral, coral sand, seawater and cement can be widely used for the construction of ports, levees, airports and roads to achieve practical engineering values. However, the naturally porous coral structure and abundant Cl⁻ in the seawater and coral lead to extremely severe reinforcement corrosion for CASC. It is well known that Cl⁻ is the main cause of reinforcement corrosion in the marine environment. Therefore, it is necessary to research the reinforcement corrosion of CASC in the marine environment.

In this study, linear polarization resistance was adopted to test the linear polarization curves of reinforcement in CASC with different exposure times. E_corr, R_p, I_corr and V_corr were calculated according to the weak electrochemical polarization theory and Stern–Geary formula. The effects of concrete cover thickness, exposure time, reinforcement types and inhibitor on reinforcement corrosion in CASC were analysed. The reinforcement corrosion degradation rule was determined, which provided theoretical support for the durability improvement, security assessment, service life prediction and service quality control of CASC structures in marine islands and reef engineering.

The corrosion resistance was enhanced with increased concrete cover thickness, and the concrete cover thickness for organic new coated steel should be at least 5.5 cm to reduce the reinforcement corrosion risks in CASC structures. The corrosion resistance of different types of reinforcements followed the rule: 2205 duplex stainless steel > 316 stainless steel > organic new coated steel > zinc-chromium coated steel > common steel. In the early exposure stage, the anti-corrosion effectiveness of the calcium nitrate inhibitor (CN) was superior to that for the amino alcohol inhibitor (AA). With the extension of exposure time, the decreasing rate of anticorrosion effectiveness of CN was higher than that of AA.

Reinforcement corrosion of CASC in a marine environment was studied. Concrete cover thickness, exposure time, reinforcement type and inhibitor influenced the reinforcement corrosion were investigated. New technique of reinforcement anti-corrosion in marine engineering was proposed. Possible applications of CASC in marine engineering structures were suggested.