CORROSION

AND PROTECTION
OF
CORROSION
AND
STEEL
PROTECTION
OF
STEEL
REINFORCED CONCRETE

REINFORCED CONCRETE
PROVIDED BY: EMAD BEHDAD
LECTURER: PROF.SHAMS

PROVIDED BY: EMAD

BEHDAD
LECTURER: PROF.SHAMS

OUTLINE

INTRODUCTION
CORROSION PROCESS

TYPES OF CORROSION
CAUSES OF CORROSION
PROTECTION METHODS
CONCLUSION

What is Corrosion of Steel?

ASTM terminology (G 15) defines corrosion as the
chemical or electrochemical reaction between a
material, usually a metal, and its environment that
produces a deterioration of the material and its
properties. For steel embedded in concrete,
corrosion results in the formation of rust which has
two to four times the volume of the original steel
and none of the good mechanical properties.
Corrosion also produces pits or holes in the surface
of reinforcing steel, reducing strength capacity as a
result of the reduced cross-sectional area.

Electrochemical process of steel

corrosion in concrete

Volumetric change

Reinforcement Protection by
Passive Film

Ca, Na, K hydroxides in

hydrated cement raise the pH
to ~13.5
A dense protective ferric
oxide (Fe2O3) passive film
forms around the
Passive film develops on the bar surface
reinforcement
This passive film stops iron
dissolution, and is stable at
pH >10
pH >13

Yes if:
(a)

Concrete is always dry, then there is no

H2O to form rust. Also aggressive agents
cannot easily diffuse into dry concrete.
(b) Concrete is always wet, then there is no
oxygen to form rust.
(c) Cathodic protection is used to convert
all the reinforcement into a cathode using a
battery. This is not easy to implement
because anodic mesh is expensive, and this
technology is not easy to install and maintain

(d) A polymeric coating is applied to the concrete

member to keep out aggressive agents. These are
expensive and not easy to apply and maintain.
(e) A polymeric coating is applied to the
reinforcing bars to protect them from moisture and
aggressive agents. This is expensive and there is
some debate as to its long- term effectiveness.
(f) Stainless steel or cladded stainless steel is used
in lieu of conventional black bars. This is much
more expensive than black bars.

Can we avoid corrosion?

No, not entirely:
Concrete is not usually under water or
continuously dry. Aggressive agents such
as carbon dioxide, de-icing agents and/or
sea water can diffuse into the best of moist
concrete, and corrosion will eventually
result.

CAUSES OF CORROSION IN
CONCRETE

COMMON CORROSION TYPES

1) Crevice Corrosion
Crevice corrosion is a localized form of corrosion
usually associated with a stagnant solution on the
micro-environmental level. Such stagnant
microenvironments tend to occur in crevices (shielded
areas). Oxygen in the liquid which is deep in the
crevice is consumed by reaction with the metal.
Oxygen content of liquid at the mouth of the crevice
which is exposed to the air is greater, so a local cell
develops in which the anode, or area being attacked, is
the surface in contact with the oxygen-depleted liquid.

Crevice Corrosion of Rebar Has Some

Similarities with Filliform Corrosion
The head of the advancing filament becomes
anodic, with a low pH and a lack of oxygen,
as compared with the cathodic area
immediately behind the head where oxygen
is available through the semipermeable
film. Corrosion proceeds as the cathode
follows behind the anodic head (from
Corrosion Basics NACE).

2) Pitting
Theories of passivity fall into two general categories, one based on adsorption and
the other on presence of a thin oxide film. Pitting in the former case arises as
detrimental or activator species, such as Cl-, compete with O2 or OH- at specific
surface sites. By the oxide film theory, detrimental species become incorporated
into the passive film, leading to its local dissolution or to development of
conductive paths. Once initiated, pits propagate auto-catalytically according to the
generalized reaction, M+n + nH2O + nCl- M(OH)n + nHCl, resulting in
acidification
of the active region and corrosion at an accelerated rate (M+n and M are the
ionic
and metallic forms of the corroding metal).

Airborne, marine, industrial, groundwater, castin

Cl can penetrate through the passive film
At Cl- > threshold, passive film breaks down,
corrosion initiates
Cl- threshold value is typically 0.05% by wt of
concrete (0.02% prestressed concrete)
Pitting corrosion

Ca(OH)2 + CO2 CaCO3 + H2O

EFFECT OF CARBONATION
It can cause soft surface, dusting and
color
change
It reduces quality concrete
It reduces the concrete ability to
protect
reinforcement from corrosion (in an
exposed
environment)
It will result in additional shrinkage in

DETECTING CARBONATION
Depth of carbonation can be detected using
an indicator.
A chemical such as Phenolphthalein sprayed
on to freshly broken concrete.
Areas remaining alkaline will turn in a bright
purply-pink color.
Carbonated areas of concrete will remain
unchanged in color.

Cl-

Cl-

+ve Ions
Rebar

ee-

+ve Ions
Fe

Fe++

ee-

Rebar

Reinforcing steel corrosion

Degree of Corrosion

Migration of chlorides, H20

and O2 into the concrete, no
corrosion and no damage to
concrete

Corrosion of the steel

reinforcement and
cracking and/or spalling
of concrete

Initiation

Propagation
(corrosion)

Critical chloride
threshold
I
Time

Cl-

. Cl .

.
pH >~10 .
.

Cl-

.-

Cathode
.
.
.
.
ClElectrolyte
.
Cl
.

Cl

Corrosion =

Cl-

.
Anode
. .

.- Cl

. Cl- . Cl
Cl Cl- . Cl.
.
. Cl Cl .
ClCl. .
.
.
.
.
. Cl- - Cl- . Cl- . Cl..
Cl
Cl
Cl
ee-

Cl-

Cl-

.
Cl.ClCl

Cl-

Cl-

.
.

.
.

.
.

.
.

.
Cathode
.
.
ClCl.-

Cl.Cl

.
.

Iron Oxygen Moisture

Iron + Oxygen + Moisture

Either
the pH falls due to carbonation or other chemicals
chlorides reach the steel above the threshold concentration
an electrical charge destroys the natural protection of the steel
Electrons flow and ions migrate
Rust expansion causes cracking
Rapid deterioration
Spalling

Spalling

Cracks
with
Rust
Staining

Rebar
loss

Delamination

Abandoned Electric Pole

KISH

ISLAND

BANDAR ABBAS

 chloride induced
reinforcement
corrosion in
concrete exposed
to seawater

Corroded rebar from cracked concrete

of a parking structure exposed to
deicing salts

Reinforced steel in concrete

cracking

CORROSION PREVENTION
METHODS
REBAR COATING
SCARIFIED & PATCHED DECK AWAITS
ANODE MESH
FLY ASH
HOT-DIP GALVANIZING
WIRELESS SENSOR FOR MONITORING
CHLORIDE IN CONCRETE
INHIBITORS

REBAR COATING

Advantage of epoxy coated rebar

The coating has strong adhesive force to the steel.

The coating has good chemical stability.
The coating has good tenacity and wear ability.
The coating has high insulation and anti-cathode
decomposability.
The coating has wide range temperature adaptation.
The coating has high adhesive force with the concrete.
Products have fine Physical Property.
Used in the building with high demand and under the
corrosive Environment, it can lengthen the use life of the
building for more the 50 years.

EPOXY COATING PREVIEW MODEL

EPOXYCOATED BARS
Anode
Reduces anode
area
Increases
threshold*

Cathode
Reduces cathodic area

REDUCED
CORROSION

Electrical Connection
Electrical path between
anode and cathode

Ionic path
Makes ionic pathway longer

thermally sprayed coatings of

Zn and Al, combat corrosion
For atmospheric, buried, and marine environment corrosion
protection, Zn (TSZ), Al (TSA), and their alloys have proven that
they provide long term corrosion protection and outperform most
all other methods.
Anodic (TSZ/TSA) metal coatings applied to steel cathodes (more
noble than Zn or Al), are referred to as cathodic or sacrificial
protection coating systems.
These thermal spray coatings provide corrosion protection by
excluding the environment (or electrolyte) and acting as a barrier
coating (like paints, polymers, and epoxies), but unlike typical
barrier coatings they also provide sacrificial anodic protection.

Zinc and zinc alloys are also sprayed directly onto

concrete to protect the steel rebar within
Arc spraying of zinc on a concrete
bridge pier in the Florida Keys. In this
case the zinc acts as sacrificial anode,
although it is more frequently used in
impressed-current systems. Three
impressed-current zinc systems have
already been installed by the Ministry
of Transportation of Ontario in Toronto

Sacrificial cathodic protection of steel

in concrete by thermal zinc spraying

FLY ASH
using a Fly Ash concrete with very low permeability, which
will delay the arrival of carbonation and chlorides at the level
of the steel reinforcement.
Fly Ash is a finely divided silica rich powder that, in itself,
gives no benefit when added to a concrete mixture, unless it
can react with the calcium hydroxide formed in the first few
days of hydration. Together they form a calcium silica
hydrate (CSH) compound that over time effectively reduces
concrete diffusivity to oxygen, carbon dioxide, water and
chloride ions. By reducing ion diffusion, the electrical
resistance of the concrete also increases

CATHODIC PROTECTION
Impressed current (active)
Sacrificial anode (passive)

TITANIUM ANODE MESH

A. TYPICALLY ATTACHED TO THE CONCRETE SURFACE AND
THEN ENCAPSULATED IN CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS.
B- EASILY CONFORMS TO THE STRUCTURE GEOMETRY.
C- MOST USED IMPRESSED CURRENT ANODE FOR CONCRETE.

 Mixed Metal Oxide activated Titanium Anodes in the form of a

ribbon mesh can be installed in close proximity and parallel
to the reinforcement bars (rebar).

MMO Ribbon Mesh

1.
2.
3.
4.

SimpletoInstall.
NoPowerSupplyNeeded.
NoWiringorConduit.
NoLongTermMonitoringorMaintenance

Conventional Patch Repair

Embedded Zinc Anode for Patch Repair

CATHODIC PROTECTION
SACRIFICIAL ANODE

REFRENCES
Concrete Society Technical Reports TR 36 and 37

 www.corrocell.co.uk