Effect of Water Conditions on Macro-Cell Corrosion Potential Difference and Current Density of Reinforcing Steel in Concrete

Abstract:

In marine concrete structure, corrosion behaviors of reinforcing steel in atmosphere, splash, water-level-fluctuating and underwater zone are significantly different. This paper investigated and analyzed the effect of water conditions on the macro-cell corrosion potential difference and macro-cell current density of steel in concrete free of chloride and concrete contaminated by chloride. Results indicated that in concrete that is free of chloride and with low water content, its resistance becomes the limiting factor for the formation of macro-cell current. The increase of water content of concrete could promote the flow of macro-cell current. In concrete contaminated with chloride, only the water-saturated state of anode was little helpful to inhibit the macro-cell current, but the increase of water content of concrete around the cathodic steel could weaken the macro-cell corrosion. The water condition of cathode and anode could play an important role in controlling the ratio of magnitude of macro-cell current to micro-cell current.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 831)
• Pages: 87-94
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.831.87
• Online since: February 2020
• Authors: Zhong Lu Cao*
• Keywords: Macro-Cell Corrosion, Marine Concrete Structure, Micro-Cell Corrosion, Water Conditions

References

[1] M. Raupach, Investigations on the influence of oxygen on corrosion of steel in concrete—Part I, Mater. Struct. 29(3) (1996) 174-184.

DOI: 10.1007/bf02486163

[2] R. R. Hussain, T. Ishida, M. Wasim, Oxygen transport and corrosion of steel in concrete under varying concrete cover, w/c, and moisture, ACI Mater. J. 109(1) (2012) 3-10.

DOI: 10.14359/51683565

[3] R. R. Hussain, Effect of moisture variation on oxygen consumption rate of corroding steel in chloride contaminated concrete, Cem. Concr. Comp. 33(1) (2011) 154-161.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2010.09.014

[4] R. R. Hussain, T. Ishida, Influence of connectivity of concrete pores and associated diffusion of oxygen on corrosion of steel under high humidity, Constr. Build. Mater. 24(6) (2010) 1014-1019.

DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2009.11.017

[5] W. Lopez, J. A.Gonzalez, Influence of the degree of pore saturation on the resistivity of concrete and the corrosion rate of steel reinforcement, Cem. Concr. Res. 23(2) (1993) 368-376.

DOI: 10.1016/0008-8846(93)90102-f

[6] J. A.Gonzalez, W. Lopez, P. Rodriguez, Effects of moisture availability on corrosion kinetics of steel embedded in concrete, Corros. 49(12) (1993) 1004-1010.

DOI: 10.5006/1.3316021

[7] A. A. Sagüés, M. A. Pech-Canul, A. K. M. S. Al-Mansur, Corrosion macrocell behavior of reinforcing steel in partially submerged concrete columns, Corros. Sci. 45(1) (2003) 7-32.

DOI: 10.1016/s0010-938x(02)00087-2

[8] Z. Cao, M. Hibino, H. Goda, Effect of water-cement ratio on the macrocell polarization behavior of reinforcing steel, J. Eng. 2014 (2014) 1-11.

DOI: 10.1155/2014/925410

[9] Z. Cao, M. Hibino, H. Goda, Effect of nitrite inhibitor on the macrocell corrosion behavior of reinforcing steel, J. Chem. 2015 (2015) 1-15.

DOI: 10.1155/2015/402182

[10] Z. L. Cao, M. Hibino, H. Goda, Effect of steel surface conditions on the macro-cell polarization behavior of reinforcing steel, Appl. Mech. Mater. 584-586 (2014) 1771-1779.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.584-586.1771

[11] C. Zhonglu, C. Haoyu, W. Lianyu et al. Effect of anodic and cathodic chloride contents on the macrocell corrosion and polarization behavior of reinforcing steel, Int. J. Eng. Res. Africa. 22 (2016) 45-58.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/jera.22.45

[12] C. Zhonglu, Corrosion behaviors of reinforcing steel in concrete with various moisture contents, Key Eng. Mater. 8015 (2019) 100-105.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/kem.805.100