Corrosion characteristics and critical corrosion depth model of reinforcement at concrete cover cracking in an electrochemical accelerated corrosion environment

The relationship between corrosion characteristics and electrochemical indicators detected by the half-cell potential method is unclear. In this study, the corrosion characteristics of steel reinforcement exposed to an accelerated corrosive environment were investigated. Firstly, three series of con...

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Main Authors: Haiyang Luan, Yingfang Fan, Lihua Zhao, Xiaolin Ju, Surendra P. Shah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Case Studies in Construction Materials
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509525004267
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author Haiyang Luan
Yingfang Fan
Lihua Zhao
Xiaolin Ju
Surendra P. Shah
author_facet Haiyang Luan
Yingfang Fan
Lihua Zhao
Xiaolin Ju
Surendra P. Shah
author_sort Haiyang Luan
collection DOAJ
description The relationship between corrosion characteristics and electrochemical indicators detected by the half-cell potential method is unclear. In this study, the corrosion characteristics of steel reinforcement exposed to an accelerated corrosive environment were investigated. Firstly, three series of concrete specimens were prepared for the electrochemically accelerated corrosion test. The corrosion potential, galvanic current, and concrete resistance were obtained via an Anode-Ladder-System. The relationships between Cl- penetration depth, Cl- content, and electromigration time were discussed. Secondly, the corrosion ratios of rebar under different electromigration times were evaluated. The relationships between corrosion ratio of a rebar, Cl- content, and corrosion potential were analyzed. The critical corrosion depth of a rebar at concrete cover cracking was determined. Finally, a theoretical model for the critical corrosion depth of a rebar was established via elastic-plastic mechanics and fracture mechanics. The critical corrosion depths for different concrete cover thicknesses and rebar diameters were predicted. The results indicated that the relationship between corrosion ratio of rebar, Cl- content, and corrosion potential was exponential. The relationship between Cl- penetration depths, Cl- content, and corrosion ratio of rebar was logarithmic. As the concrete cover thickness increased and the rebar diameter decreased, the critical corrosion depth of rebar increased as a power function. When the concrete cover thickness was 10 mm and the rebar diameter was 10 mm, the critical corrosion depth was 13.5μm. The theoretical model can be utilized to predict critical corrosion depth under low concrete strength (less than C40) and small concrete cover thickness (less than three times rebar diameter). This study provides preliminary theoretical support for corrosion characteristics of reinforcement exposed to a corrosive environment.
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spelling doaj-art-6ca4836688d5469e8f1bb10e62588b4e2025-08-20T02:11:34ZengElsevierCase Studies in Construction Materials2214-50952025-07-0122e0462810.1016/j.cscm.2025.e04628Corrosion characteristics and critical corrosion depth model of reinforcement at concrete cover cracking in an electrochemical accelerated corrosion environmentHaiyang Luan0Yingfang Fan1Lihua Zhao2Xiaolin Ju3Surendra P. Shah4School of Transportation Engineering, Dalian Jiaotong University, Dalian, Liaoning 116028, China; Corresponding author.Department of Transportation Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, Liaoning 116026, China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Coastal Bridge & Tunnel Engineering, Dalian, Liaoning 116026, China; Corresponding author at: Department of Transportation Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, Liaoning 116026, China.School of Transportation Engineering, Dalian Jiaotong University, Dalian, Liaoning 116028, ChinaSchool of Transportation Engineering, Dalian Jiaotong University, Dalian, Liaoning 116028, ChinaDepartment of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010, USA; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USAThe relationship between corrosion characteristics and electrochemical indicators detected by the half-cell potential method is unclear. In this study, the corrosion characteristics of steel reinforcement exposed to an accelerated corrosive environment were investigated. Firstly, three series of concrete specimens were prepared for the electrochemically accelerated corrosion test. The corrosion potential, galvanic current, and concrete resistance were obtained via an Anode-Ladder-System. The relationships between Cl- penetration depth, Cl- content, and electromigration time were discussed. Secondly, the corrosion ratios of rebar under different electromigration times were evaluated. The relationships between corrosion ratio of a rebar, Cl- content, and corrosion potential were analyzed. The critical corrosion depth of a rebar at concrete cover cracking was determined. Finally, a theoretical model for the critical corrosion depth of a rebar was established via elastic-plastic mechanics and fracture mechanics. The critical corrosion depths for different concrete cover thicknesses and rebar diameters were predicted. The results indicated that the relationship between corrosion ratio of rebar, Cl- content, and corrosion potential was exponential. The relationship between Cl- penetration depths, Cl- content, and corrosion ratio of rebar was logarithmic. As the concrete cover thickness increased and the rebar diameter decreased, the critical corrosion depth of rebar increased as a power function. When the concrete cover thickness was 10 mm and the rebar diameter was 10 mm, the critical corrosion depth was 13.5μm. The theoretical model can be utilized to predict critical corrosion depth under low concrete strength (less than C40) and small concrete cover thickness (less than three times rebar diameter). This study provides preliminary theoretical support for corrosion characteristics of reinforcement exposed to a corrosive environment.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509525004267Corrosion ratio of reinforcementCritical corrosion depthConcrete cover crackingHalf-cell potentialThick-walled cylinder model
spellingShingle Haiyang Luan
Yingfang Fan
Lihua Zhao
Xiaolin Ju
Surendra P. Shah
Corrosion characteristics and critical corrosion depth model of reinforcement at concrete cover cracking in an electrochemical accelerated corrosion environment
Case Studies in Construction Materials
Corrosion ratio of reinforcement
Critical corrosion depth
Concrete cover cracking
Half-cell potential
Thick-walled cylinder model
title Corrosion characteristics and critical corrosion depth model of reinforcement at concrete cover cracking in an electrochemical accelerated corrosion environment
title_full Corrosion characteristics and critical corrosion depth model of reinforcement at concrete cover cracking in an electrochemical accelerated corrosion environment
title_fullStr Corrosion characteristics and critical corrosion depth model of reinforcement at concrete cover cracking in an electrochemical accelerated corrosion environment
title_full_unstemmed Corrosion characteristics and critical corrosion depth model of reinforcement at concrete cover cracking in an electrochemical accelerated corrosion environment
title_short Corrosion characteristics and critical corrosion depth model of reinforcement at concrete cover cracking in an electrochemical accelerated corrosion environment
title_sort corrosion characteristics and critical corrosion depth model of reinforcement at concrete cover cracking in an electrochemical accelerated corrosion environment
topic Corrosion ratio of reinforcement
Critical corrosion depth
Concrete cover cracking
Half-cell potential
Thick-walled cylinder model
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509525004267
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AT yingfangfan corrosioncharacteristicsandcriticalcorrosiondepthmodelofreinforcementatconcretecovercrackinginanelectrochemicalacceleratedcorrosionenvironment
AT lihuazhao corrosioncharacteristicsandcriticalcorrosiondepthmodelofreinforcementatconcretecovercrackinginanelectrochemicalacceleratedcorrosionenvironment
AT xiaolinju corrosioncharacteristicsandcriticalcorrosiondepthmodelofreinforcementatconcretecovercrackinginanelectrochemicalacceleratedcorrosionenvironment
AT surendrapshah corrosioncharacteristicsandcriticalcorrosiondepthmodelofreinforcementatconcretecovercrackinginanelectrochemicalacceleratedcorrosionenvironment