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Title: Development of chloride-induced corrosion in pre-cracked RC beams under sustained loading: Effect of load-induced cracks, concrete cover, and exposure conditions

Journal Article · · Cement and Concrete Research
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Université de Toulouse, UPS, INSA, LMDC, Toulouse (France)
  2. Hanoi Architectural University, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Hanoi (Viet Nam)
  3. CEA Saclay, CEA, DEN, DPC, SECR, Laboratoire d'Etude du Comportement des Bétons et des Argiles, Gif-sur-Yvette (France)
  4. Université de Sherbrooke, Quebec (Canada)

This paper deals with corrosion initiation and propagation in pre-cracked reinforced concrete beams under sustained loading during exposure to a chloride environment. Specimen beams that were cast in 2010 were compared to specimens cast in 1984. The only differences between the two sets of beams were the casting direction in relation to tensile reinforcement and the exposure conditions in the salt-fog chamber. The cracking maps, corrosion maps, chloride profiles, and cross-sectional loss of one group of two beams cast in 2010 were studied and their calculated corrosion rates were compared to that of beams cast in 1984 in order to investigate the factors influencing the natural corrosion process. Experimental results show that, after rapid initiation of corrosion at the crack tip, the corrosion process practically halted and the time elapsing before corrosion resumed depended on the exposure conditions and cover depth.

OSTI ID:
22395946
Journal Information:
Cement and Concrete Research, Vol. 67; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2014 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0008-8846
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English