Experimental study and suggested mathematical model for chloride-induced reinforcement corrosion rate

The service life of reinforced concrete structures is significantly affected by the chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcing steel. This paper presents a comprehensive study on the influence of the corrosion environment and other parameters on the corrosion rate of reinforcing steel in concrete. Comparative tests were carried out on concrete block and beam specimens subjected to accelerated corrosion in indoor and outdoor environments for a period of 1.5 years. The experimental variables considered included the chloride content, depth of concrete cover, type of reinforcing steel and water-to-cement (w/c) ratio. The test results indicated that the corrosion rate of the reinforcing steel increases with the increase in the w/c ratio, chloride content, temperature and relative humidity, while it is reduced when the thickness of the concrete cover increases. Furthermore, an empirical model for predicting the corrosion rate of reinforcing steel in concrete is proposed using the experimental data, which offers a good prediction of the corrosion rate.