Effect of crack openings on carbonation-induced corrosion

Abstract Reinforced concrete is widely used in the construction of buildings, historical monuments, infrastructures and nuclear power plants. For a variety of reasons, many concrete structures are subject to unavoidable cracks that accelerate the diffusion of atmospheric carbon dioxide to the steel/concrete interface. Carbonation at the interface induces steel corrosion that could cause the development of new cracks in the structure, a determining factor for its durability. The aim of this article is to study the effect of existing cracks on the development of carbonation-induced corrosion. The results indicate that, after the initiation phase, the corrosion kinetics decreases with time and the free corrosion potential increases independently of the crack opening. In addition, the corroded zone matches the carbonated one. The interpretation of these results allows the authors to conclude that, during the corrosion process, corrosion products seal the crack and act as a barrier to oxygen and water diffusion. Consequently, the influence of crack opening on corrosion development is masked and the corrosion development is limited.

[1]  L. Bellot-Gurlet,et al.  Structural characterization of corrosion products on archaeological iron: an integrated analytical approach to establish corrosion forms , 2004 .

[2]  C Arya,et al.  Influence of crack frequency on reinforcement corrosion in concrete , 1996 .

[3]  A. Millard,et al.  Modelling the effects of steel corrosion in concrete, induced by carbon dioxide penetration , 2012 .

[4]  Bailey Tremper.  The Corrosion of Reinforcing Steel in Cracked Concrete , 1947 .

[5]  A. Castel,et al.  Study of the impact of localised cracks on the corrosion mechanism , 2012 .

[6]  P. Dillmann,et al.  Study of lepidocrocite γ-FeOOH electrochemical reduction in neutral and slightly alkaline solutions at 25 °C , 2005 .

[7]  U. Schwertmann,et al.  The Iron Oxides: Structure, Properties, Reactions, Occurrences and Uses , 2003 .

[8]  C. Hansson.  Comments on electrochemical measurements of the rate of corrosion of steel in concrete , 1984 .

[9]  Edward F. O'Neil,et al.  Study of Reinforced Concrete Beams Exposed to Marine Environment , 1980 .

[10]  P Schiessl,et al.  ZUR FRAGE DER ZULAESSIGEN RISSBREITE UND DER ERFORDERLICHEN BETONDECKUNG IM STAHLBETONBAU UNTER BESONDERER BERUECKSICHTIGUNG DER KARBONATISIERUNG DES BETONS , 1976 .

[11]  Ludovic Legrand,et al.  Electrochemical study of indoor atmospheric corrosion layers formed on ancient iron artefacts , 2007 .

[12]  R. Francois,et al.  Effect of damage in reinforced concrete on carbonation or chloride penetration , 1988 .

[13]  Philippe Dillmann,et al.  Corrosion of iron archaeological artefacts in soil: characterisation of the corrosion system , 2005 .

[14]  Philippe Dillmann,et al.  Characterization of long‐term corrosion of rebars embedded in concretes sampled on French historical buildings aged from 50 to 80 years , 2009 .

[15]  E A Byars,et al.  MANAGEMENT OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES FOR LONG-TERM SERVICEABILITY. PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND, UK ON 13 NOVEMBER 1997 , 1997 .

[16]  John Forbes Olesen,et al.  Experimental investigation of the relation between damage at the concrete-steel interface and initiation of reinforcement corrosion in plain and fibre reinforced concrete , 2013 .

[17]  U. Schwertmann,et al.  Iron Oxides in the Laboratory: Preparation and Characterization , 1991 .

[18]  George J. Verbeck.  Mechanisms of Corrosion of Steel in Concrete , 1975 .

[19]  Neal S. Berke,et al.  Corrosion of Steel in Cracked Concrete , 1993 .

[20]  Raoul François,et al.  INFLUENCE OF SERVICE CRACKING ON REINFORCEMENT STEEL CORROSION , 1998 .

[21]  Henrik Stang,et al.  The design of an instrumented rebar for assessment of corrosion in cracked reinforced concrete , 2011 .

[22]  T. Misawa,et al.  The mechanism of formation of iron oxide and oxyhydroxides in aqueous solutions at room temperature , 1974 .

[23]  Nataliya Hearn,et al.  Self-sealing, autogenous healing and continued hydration: What is the difference? , 1998 .

[24]  Makoto Hisada,et al.  EFFECT OF CRACK WIDTH AND BAR TYPES ON CORROSION OF STEEL IN CONCRETE , 2001 .

[25]  B. Huet.  Comportement à la corrosion des armatures dans un béton carbonaté. Influence de la chimie de la solution interstitielle et d’une barrière de transport. , 2005 .

[26]  Monika Hanesch,et al.  Raman spectroscopy of iron oxides and (oxy)hydroxides at low laser power and possible applications in environmental magnetic studies , 2009 .

[27]  Raoul François,et al.  Effect of microcracking and cracking on the development of corrosion in reinforced concrete members , 1999 .

[28]  Michael Raupach,et al.  Laboratory Studies and Calculations on the Influence of Crack Width on Chloride-Induced Corrosion of Steel in Concrete , 1997 .

[29]  R. François,et al.  Propagation of corrosion in pre-cracked carbonated reinforced mortar , 2015 .

[30]  K. Tuutti.  Corrosion of steel in concrete , 1982 .

[31]  S. Poyet,et al.  Effect of accelerated carbonation conditions on the characterization of load-induced damage in reinforced concrete members , 2017, Materials and Structures.

[32]  Philippe Dillmann,et al.  The evolution of the corrosion of iron in hydraulic binders analysed from 46- and 260-year-old buildings , 2010 .

[33]  Carola Edvardsen,et al.  Water Permeability and Autogenous Healing of Cracks in Concrete , 1999 .

[34]  L. Parrott,et al.  Carbonation in a 36 year old, in-situ concrete , 1989 .

[35]  Ludovic Legrand,et al.  A corrosion study of the ferrous medieval reinforcement of the Amiens cathedral. Phase characterisation and localisation by various microprobes techniques , 2010 .

[36]  G. Arliguie,et al.  Durability of Loaded Reinforced Concrete in Chloride Environment , 1994, "SP-145: Durability of Concrete -- Proceedings Third CANMET - ACI International Conference, Nice, France 1994".

[37]  Martin Stratmann,et al.  In situ Möβbauer spectroscopic study of reactions within rust layers , 1989 .

[38]  P. Fidjestøl,et al.  Field Test of Reinforcement Corrosion in Concrete , 1980 .

[39]  D. Landolt,et al.  Corrosion and surface chemistry of metals , 2007 .

[40]  Henrik Stang,et al.  Influence of concrete cracking on ingress and reinforcement corrosion , 2011 .