Challenges in Determining the Chloride Threshold of Steel Embedded in Cementitious Systems

Author(s): Sripriya Rengaraju and Radhakrishna G.Pillai
Paper category: Proceedings
Book title: Proceedings of the 71st RILEM Annual Week & ICACMS 2017,Chennai,India, 3rd -8th September 2017
Editor(s): Manu Santhanam
Ravindra Gettu
Radhakrishna G. Pillai
Sunitha K. Nayar
ISBN: 978-2-35158-196-4
ISBN: 978-2-35158-190-2 (Set)
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-191-9:
Publisher: Published by RILEM Publications S.A.R.L.
Publication year: 2017
Pages: 316-323
Total Pages: 8
Language : English

Abstract: Chloride induced corrosion (CIC) in reinforced concrete structures can lead to severe
cross-sectional loss and premature failure of structures. Various test procedures are adopted
in the laboratory to determine critical parameters needed for the service life estimation of
reinforced concrete structures. One such parameter is the chloride threshold, which could
vary in a wide range, depending on the test protocol. For example, the factors such as
corrosion cell configuration, resistivity of the material, electrochemical technique, and
corrosion initiation criteria can influence the electrochemical (EC) data. These are of
particular importance while testing Steel-Cementitious (S-C) systems with highly resistive
concretes exposed to wet-dry environments. However, limited literature is available on the
challenges in obtaining relevant and meaningful electrochemical data from such S-C systems
and its interpretation. This paper presents the experimental data and evidence to show that EC
measurements are very sensitive to the aforementioned factors, and that care should be taken
while developing the corrosion testing protocol, data interpretation, and chloride threshold
testing, especially for highly resistive S-C systems.

Online publication : 2017
Publication type : full_text
Public price (Euros) : 0.00