A properly designed and constructed

concrete is initially water-tight and the

reinforcement steel within it is well protected
by a physical barrier of concrete cover which
has low permeability and high density.
Concrete also gives steel within it a chemical
protection. Steel will not corrode as long as
concrete around it is impervious and does not
allow moisture or chlorides to penetrate
within the cover area. Steel corrosion will also
not occur as long as concrete surrounding it
is alkaline in nature having a high pH value.

However, age takes it toll. Like

human
beings,
Reinforcement
Cement
Concrete (RCC) structures are also mortals.
Depending on the quality of design and
construction, there will be an initial period in
which no corrosion will occur as the external
moisture or chloride is unable to reach the
steel causing corrosion. This initial period will
also depend on the environment in which the
structure is constructed.

Due to wetting and drying cycles,

heating and cooling cycles, loading and

unloading cycles, cyclic loading , leaching of

lime and most importantly additions and
alterations done on the structures, isolated
cracks, voids, entrapped air and large
capillary pores get interconnected and
external moisture and chlorides find their way
to reinforcement steel and corrosion starts.
Corrosion process continues till such time
large, cracks develop and spalling of concrete
occurs.

Besides moisture and chloride ingress

problems, carbonation is also one of the
principle causes of corrosion. Concrete when
produced is highly alkaline having a pH value
between 12.5 to 13.5. Alkaline environment
around the steel passivates corrosion
process. Due to carbon dioxide and humidity
present in the environment the exposed
surface of concrete loses its alkalinity due to
formation of carbonic acid. This formation
gradually penetrates into the concrete mass
and is called carbonation of concrete. When
carbonation takes place beyond the concrete
cover given to reinforcement steel, the
environment around the steel loses its
alkalinity (dropped to less than pH value 9).

The mitigation of corrosion no longer takes

place due to chemical protection.

It is observed that lower grades of

concrete
have
shown
much
deeper
carbonation, than higher grades of concrete,
for a similar period of time. Grades lower
than N20 can carbonate beyond 25 mm to 35
mm within a matter of 20 years. If quality of
concrete in the cover region is poor it can
take place much faster.

Slender sections like canopies, parapets

slabs projecting on the building exterior show
greater evidence of deterioration than other
structural members due to above reasons.

Corrosion causes loss of mass, stiffness

and bond and therefore concrete repair
becomes inevitable as considerable loss of
strength takes place.

Why Does Steel in Concrete Corrode?

Perhaps the greatest threat to the long-term
durability of reinforced concrete is corrosion of the
steel (primarily composed of iron, or Fe) which
expands due to the greater volume of the
corrosion byproducts and then cracks the
concrete and debonds from the concrete matrix.
Billions of dollars in damage occurs each year
due to this simple reaction, and our apparent
inability to stop it. So what causes this reaction?

1) All metals, except gold and platinum, are

unstable and will corrode. Reinforcing steel is
made primarily of iron, which is highly corrosive.
There are several things that can lead to
corrosion of steel in concrete, with the most
common being chloridesuch as the chloride in
table salt (sodium chloride). These chlorides
come from sea water, deicing salts, chlorides
used in the mix as an accelerator, or salty
aggregate or water. Another common culprit that

can cause corrosion is carbonation caused by

atmospheric CO2 penetrating the concrete.

2) Corrosion is an electrochemical reaction (a

corrosion cell) with positive charges flowing
through the moist concrete and negative charges
(electrons) flowing through the reinforcing steel.
The cathode is a spot where water and oxygen
have gotten through the concrete to the steel
perhaps at a crack. The anode is where the steel
corrodes and forms corrosion byproducts that can
crack the concrete.

3) Good sound concrete has a pH in the pore

solutions of 13.0 to 13.5, which is much more
alkaline than something like Drano. In this
environment, the steel forms a thin layer on its
surface that we call a passivating layer. This layer
protects the rebar and prevents the anode from
forming so no corrosion can occur.

4) When chloride ions or carbonation penetrate

the concrete and get down to the reinforcing
steel, they lower the pH and attack the

passivating layer. If there is also moisture and

oxygen (at the cathode) then the steel begins to
corrode. The corrosion byproducts have no
tensile strength, reducing the strength of the
reinforcing steel, and have greater volume than
the original steel, causing cracks.

5) Chlorides and carbonation will penetrate the

concreteits only a question of time. But with
good concrete cover (2 inches) and dense (low
permeability) concrete, that could take centuries.
And if the concrete is covered and dry, then it
cant corrode because the ionic migration of
positive charges cant take place.