Corrosion of Steel Embedded in Concrete

• In high alkaline environments, ordinary steel products

are covered by a thin iron-oxide film (passive film)
– impermeable
– strongly adherent to the steel surface
– making the steel passive to corrosion
– metallic iron will not corrode until the passive film is
destroyed
• The passive film may be destroyed by
– Carbonation
– Chloride ions
 Carbonation
• CO2 concentrations
– rural air 0.03%, unventilated lab >0.1%
– large cities 0.3% on average, up to 1% in extreme cases
Ca(OH)2 + CO2 → CaCO3 + H2O
pH >12.5 ~9
• When pH reduced to a level <~11.5, passive film is destroyed
• Depth of carbonation
d = k t 0.5
 t - time (year)
 k - relates to the permeability of concrete, cement type, T,
RH, micro- and macro climatic conditions (frequency and
duration of wetting and drying)
Exposure classes related to environment actions
(SS EN 206-1, 2009)
 Chloride Ions
• Sources of Cl
– sea water
– de-icing salt
– salt contaminated aggregate
– contaminated water
– admixtures
• With high chloride-ion content,
passive film maybe destroyed
even at pH >11.5
• The amount of Cl required to
initiate corrosion depends on
pH of pore solution
– Cl/OH  0.3-0.6, corrosion
 Mechanism of Corrosion
• Electrochemical process
• Anode reaction
(oxidation)
• Cathode reaction
(reduction)
 Mechanism of Corrosion
• At the anode (1)

(2)
• Formation of hydrated ferric oxide (rust), volume
increase that cause cracking and spalling
 Corrosion of Steel Reinforcing Bars
• Development of anode & cathode areas due to different
electrochemical potentials
– Different impurity levels in steel bars
– Different residue strains
– Different concentration of oxygen or electrolyte in contact
with the metal
• Rate of corrosion depends on
– Availability of O2 and H2O
– Resistivity of concrete
• Consequence of corrosion of embedded steel
– Stain
– Reduce cross sectional area of the steel bars, and reduce
load carrying capacity
– Loss bond between steel and concrete
– Cracking and spalling of concrete cover
 Staining, from rust.

Deformation and spalling due to

corrosion of reinforcement.
Exposure classes related to environment actions
(SS EN 206-1, 2009)
 Protection against Steel Corrosion
• Material selection
– Reduce the porosity of concrete
• reduce w/c
• use mineral admixtures
– Other reinforcing materials (e.g. stainless steel)
• Design
– Sufficient thickness of concrete cover
• Coating and membrane
– Epoxy coating of steel reinforcing bars?