Title:
Critical Analysis of Experiments on Reinforcing Bar Corrosion in Cracked Concrete
Author(s):
Carolina Boschmann Käthler, Ueli Michael Angst, Karla Hornbostel, and Bernhard Elsener
Publication:
Materials Journal
Volume:
117
Issue:
3
Appears on pages(s):
145-154
Keywords:
chlorides; crack; durability; experimental setup; reinforcement corrosion
DOI:
10.14359/51722408
Date:
5/1/2020
Abstract:
Cracks in concrete are expected to accelerate the degradation of reinforced concrete—mainly reinforcement corrosion. Previous literature studies have shown that the initiation time can decrease due to cracks, whereas the accelerating effect on corrosion propagation has no clear experimental evidence. This paper critically
assesses how different common experimental setups may influence the test results. It is found that, particularly, the exposure duration and condition, the water-binder ratio (w/b), and the crack width have an impact on the outcome of the experimental study about corrosion rates in cracked concrete. Hence, these parameters should be carefully considered when designing experiments to study the influence of cracks. Recommendations for future research work are given.