Selection of a Critical Chloride Level for Full Probabilistic Modelling

In 2022, a working party (fib TG 8.9.3) was formed to try and better develop critical chloride (C<sub>crit</sub>) distributions for use in modelling new structures and assessing existing structures. The authors of this paper are leading TG 8.9.3. and are in the process of writing a Bulle...

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Main Authors: Frank Papworth, Carmen Andrade, Federica Lollini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Corrosion and Materials Degradation
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5558/6/2/21
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author Frank Papworth
Carmen Andrade
Federica Lollini
author_facet Frank Papworth
Carmen Andrade
Federica Lollini
author_sort Frank Papworth
collection DOAJ
description In 2022, a working party (fib TG 8.9.3) was formed to try and better develop critical chloride (C<sub>crit</sub>) distributions for use in modelling new structures and assessing existing structures. The authors of this paper are leading TG 8.9.3. and are in the process of writing a Bulletin (the Bulletin) that will detail how C<sub>crit</sub> values have been developed since the 1970s. The Bulletin notes that chloride-induced corrosion initiation modelling based on C<sub>crit</sub> is not intended as a sole durability assessment tool for structures exposed to chloride. It is recognized that voids and moisture at the bar can control corrosion activation virtually independent of chloride content, but in most cases sufficient voids and moisture are present so that the arrival of adequate chloride triggers corrosion activation of the reinforcement. So, durability verification by modelling restriction of chloride penetration, so that the concentration at the bar is less than that commonly found to cause corrosion, seems appropriate. This empirical approach was first fully detailed in fib Bulletin 34 A key part in the empirical model is the ‘adequate chloride to trigger corrosion activation’ C<sub>crit.</sub> Although C<sub>crit</sub> has a wide distribution and has different distributions in different environments and concrete compositions, its use in modelling provides greater design flexibility and improved confidence compared to the Deemed-to-Satisfy (DtS) rules included in most codes. Because of the limitations in DtS provisions, modelling provides more effective designs by incorporating specific criteria for a broad range of exposures, materials, and construction methods. This paper proposes that a lower bound for C<sub>crit</sub> distributions for a range of materials and exposures can be developed from published papers. This paper includes C<sub>crit</sub> distributions for steel fibres, carbon steel (above and below water), high tensile steel, galvanized steel, and stainless steels. These are expected to be recommended in the Bulletin.
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spelling doaj-art-c0e498cc903c413787605a0fb2b191ef2025-08-20T03:27:21ZengMDPI AGCorrosion and Materials Degradation2624-55582025-05-01622110.3390/cmd6020021Selection of a Critical Chloride Level for Full Probabilistic ModellingFrank Papworth0Carmen Andrade1Federica Lollini2Building and Construction Research and Consulting Pty Ltd., Lane Cove West, NSW 2066, AustraliaInternational Center of Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE), 28010 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico Di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, ItalyIn 2022, a working party (fib TG 8.9.3) was formed to try and better develop critical chloride (C<sub>crit</sub>) distributions for use in modelling new structures and assessing existing structures. The authors of this paper are leading TG 8.9.3. and are in the process of writing a Bulletin (the Bulletin) that will detail how C<sub>crit</sub> values have been developed since the 1970s. The Bulletin notes that chloride-induced corrosion initiation modelling based on C<sub>crit</sub> is not intended as a sole durability assessment tool for structures exposed to chloride. It is recognized that voids and moisture at the bar can control corrosion activation virtually independent of chloride content, but in most cases sufficient voids and moisture are present so that the arrival of adequate chloride triggers corrosion activation of the reinforcement. So, durability verification by modelling restriction of chloride penetration, so that the concentration at the bar is less than that commonly found to cause corrosion, seems appropriate. This empirical approach was first fully detailed in fib Bulletin 34 A key part in the empirical model is the ‘adequate chloride to trigger corrosion activation’ C<sub>crit.</sub> Although C<sub>crit</sub> has a wide distribution and has different distributions in different environments and concrete compositions, its use in modelling provides greater design flexibility and improved confidence compared to the Deemed-to-Satisfy (DtS) rules included in most codes. Because of the limitations in DtS provisions, modelling provides more effective designs by incorporating specific criteria for a broad range of exposures, materials, and construction methods. This paper proposes that a lower bound for C<sub>crit</sub> distributions for a range of materials and exposures can be developed from published papers. This paper includes C<sub>crit</sub> distributions for steel fibres, carbon steel (above and below water), high tensile steel, galvanized steel, and stainless steels. These are expected to be recommended in the Bulletin.https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5558/6/2/21concretechloridecorrosionmodellingthresholdactivation
spellingShingle Frank Papworth
Carmen Andrade
Federica Lollini
Selection of a Critical Chloride Level for Full Probabilistic Modelling
Corrosion and Materials Degradation
concrete
chloride
corrosion
modelling
threshold
activation
title Selection of a Critical Chloride Level for Full Probabilistic Modelling
title_full Selection of a Critical Chloride Level for Full Probabilistic Modelling
title_fullStr Selection of a Critical Chloride Level for Full Probabilistic Modelling
title_full_unstemmed Selection of a Critical Chloride Level for Full Probabilistic Modelling
title_short Selection of a Critical Chloride Level for Full Probabilistic Modelling
title_sort selection of a critical chloride level for full probabilistic modelling
topic concrete
chloride
corrosion
modelling
threshold
activation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5558/6/2/21
work_keys_str_mv AT frankpapworth selectionofacriticalchloridelevelforfullprobabilisticmodelling
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