Corrosion of Steel Rebar Embedded in Ternary Blended Concrete Exposed To High Humidity Environment
Corrosion of Steel Rebar Embedded in Ternary Blended Concrete Exposed To High Humidity Environment
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ABSTRACT
Specimens were prepared with two different ternary blended concrete mixes. One mix contains cement replacement
of 20% fly ash and 50% slag (termed as T1), while the other contains cement replacement of 20% fly ash and 8%
silica fume (termed as T2). Five (T1) or six (T2) single rebar specimens were prepared per concrete mix with a 0.75
cm concrete cover (0.3 in). The water to cementitious ratio of T1 and T2 concrete mixes were 0.41 and 0.37
respectively. Embedded single rebar sections had a radius of 0.47 cm. On the top surface of the specimens, different
size reservoirs were attached, ranging from 5 cm to 15 cm. The reservoirs were filled with NaCl solution with 10%
concentration. Corrosion initiation occurred by the application of accelerated chloride transport method, and it lasted
anywhere from a week to a few months. For ternary blended concrete mixes, the influence of rebar length under the
reservoir was analyzed. Subsequently, the electrochemical behavior of the specimens was assessed using
electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and linear polarization resistance techniques. The corrosion related
parameters such as rebar potential, solution resistance and corrosion current were monitored for around 500 days.
Based on the experimental findings, it was observed that the corrosion current values for T1 concrete mixes were
found to be larger than those of corrosion current values for T2 concrete mixes.
Keywords: Corrosion, Steel rebar, Reservoir length, Fly ash, Slag, Silica fume, Corrosion current.
1. EINLEITUNG
High quality and durable concrete are required to and/or slag are often used as alternatives because of their
reduce the rapid deterioration of concrete prepared lower workability and higher cost. According to Torii [5,
marine structures in severe conditions. Chloride-ion 6], the resistance to chloride penetration of concrete
penetration into concrete has been regarded as the main made with 50% ground granulated blast-furnace slag
cause of degradation among factors such as corrosion, (GGBS) was like that of concrete prepared with 10%
alkali-silica interaction, freezing and thawing, silica fume. When hydrated, supplementary cementitious
carbonation, and others that are associated to a materials like fly ash, silica fume, blast-furnace slag, etc.
deterioration in the durability of concrete. Ingress of which are employed as fine granulates, has the capacity
chloride-ions destroys the natural passivity of the surface to partially obstruct pores and voids. As a result, the
of reinforcing steel, and often leads to the corrosion of effective diffusivity of either chloride or other species is
steel in concrete structures. Reinforcement corrosion is decreased, and the pore size is reduced. It is hypothesized
therefore accelerated by inadequate concrete cover or that these actions lead to an increase in the concrete's
poor-quality concrete. Because of chloride-ion attacks, resistivity.
environmental conditions in offshore or coastal regions
reduce the effective service life of concrete structures. In this paper, two different ternary blended concrete
mixes were prepared. The length of the anode was altered
Previous research [1-4] has demonstrated that using by changing the size of the solution reservoir.
cement replacement like fly ash, silica fume, blast- Accelerated chloride transport method tended to
furnace slag, etc. may significantly lower the likelihood accelerate the chloride ions' ability to penetrate the
of steel corrosion as well as the permeability of concrete. concrete. The method was developed using the findings
Concrete's durability is specifically known to be of past investigations [7]. Rebar corrosion typically
significantly increased by silica fume. However, fly ash initiates after a few weeks or months. Measurements of
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electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and linear of September 2016 in preparation for the experiment's
polarization resistance were performed to monitor the next stage. These samples were first kept at FAU-
evolution of corrosion. The corrosion current, rebar SeaTech in a high humidity chamber before the solution
potential, and solution resistance were measured over a reservoir was setup. The samples were transferred to the
period of about 500 days. laboratory setting (65% RH and 21°C) after the solution
reservoir was installed. A plastic reservoir was attached
2. EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS to the top surface using marine adhesives. After casting,
the reservoir was installed at least 40 days later. A 10%
2.1 Materials and mix proportions concentration of NaCl solution was added to the
Reinforced concrete mixes named T1 and T2 were reservoir. There were meant to be various corroding
prepared in August 2016. Mix T1 contains both fly ash & lengths. The samples were stored in high humidity for 3
blast furnace slag and mix T2 contains both fly ash & to 7 days before each reservoir was filled with solution.
silica fume as a cement replacement. Table 1 describes The top surface of the solution reservoir was
the concrete mixtures in detail. Specifications of the positioned with electrodes composed of stainless-steel
concrete mixes are provided in appendix 2 of reference wire mesh or TiMMO mesh with sizes like those
[8]. The segment of the rebars were sized and wire embedded. For each specimen, a saturated calcium
brushed. Hexane solution was employed to clean the hydroxide solution was added to a portion of the concrete
reinforcement of any grease before casting. specimen measuring about one cm. Each sample was
placed on top of a white plastic mesh. This procedure was
used to reduce the capacity of concrete to leach
chemicals.
These specimens had measurements of 30.5 cm x 12.7 2.3 Accelerated chloride transport
cm x 7.6 cm (12 in x 5 in x 3 in). These single rebar
sections had a radius of 0.47 cm with #3 rebars. Five (T1) A potential hold was formed between the top and the
or six (T2) single rebar specimens were prepared per bottom meshes using a power source. An electric field
concrete mix with a 0.75 cm concrete cover (0.3 in). Each was then used to drive the chlorides in the solution above
rebar was drilled and tapped properly. This procedure each rebar into the concrete and in the direction of the
was done to establish an electrical contact for corrosion embedded rebar. The electrode in the NaCl solution was
monitoring. connected to the negative terminal of the power source.
All specimens have stainless steel mesh (or titanium Each specimen's embedded mesh was connected to the
mix metal oxide, or "TiMMO") embedded on the top side positive terminal of the power supply. Figure 1 shows
at the time of casting. This surface served as the bottom some of the selected samples that were subjected to
surface during the experiment. Chloride transport was accelerated chloride transport process.
accelerated using the mesh. Meshes were positioned in Accelerated chloride transport method was performed
the center of the rebar and had lengths of 5 cm to 15 cm, on each specimen. A 9 V applied potential was initially
a width of around 3 cm. After a day, the molds were taken employed. When the rebar potential was assessed in
out and brought to the fog room for curing. relation to a saturated calomel reference electrode while
the electric field was still active, a potential higher than
2.2 Preparation for the experimental setup +2V was noticed. The applied voltage was decreased to
3 V after 7 days. The delta potential across a 100-ohm
Following casting, the samples were stored for resistor was used to calculate the amount of current
approximately a month in a very humid environment at being applied when a specific voltage was supplied for
the State Materials Office (SMO) of the Florida several days at a time. The rebar potential was measured
Department of Transportation (FDOT). These samples in relation to a saturated calomel reference electrode
were transferred to the FAU-SeaTech campus at the end when the system was switched off. The rebars were
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3. MONITORING OF CORROSION
PROPAGATION
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The after-migration period is shown by the arrow mark day 147, specimen T1-8's rebar potential stayed more
that follows the dashed lines (to the right of them). If negative than –0.400 Vsce thereafter.
there are two black dashed lines, the range reflects the
total amount of time that the samples were subjected to The Rs, Rc, and rebar potentials that were measured on
accelerated chloride transport, and the blue prisms inside specimen T2-11 are depicted in Figure 3. The rebar
represent the precisely measured amount of time that the potential slightly decreased after the accelerated chloride
electric field was applied (i.e., system on). transport procedure was stopped. and the potential
became –0.273 Vsce by day 96. An oscillating trend of
Rc was observed throughout the monitored period. The
Rs values tended to plateau from day 146 to day 370 and
were in the range of 2.8-3.5 k during the most period of
propagation stage. Starting on day 96, the rebar potential
tended to drift towards more positive values and were
stayed more negative than –0.150 Vsce. Reference [8, 11,
12] contains the figures for the other T1 and T2
specimens.
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Proceedings of MARTEC 2022
rebars having 15 cm solution reservoir had the minimum lowest average Icorr was for T2-5 (reservoir length of 5
average Rs value. cm). It was reported that the Icorr values were ranged
from 9.7-25.3 µA for T2 specimens [13].
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