Title: Contribution to Service Life Prediction of Structures Reinforced with Stainless Steel Reinforcing Bars—Laboratory Approach

Author(s): L. Tula and P. Helene

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 192

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 1053-1070

Keywords: corrosion resistance; durability; high-performance concretes; reinforced concretes; residual stress; serviceability

DOI: 10.14359/5801

Date: 4/1/2000

Abstract:
Previous works on service-life prediction have concluded that concrete structures reinforced with stainless steel bars are several times more resistant to corrosion than structures reinforced with carbon steel bars. The commercial utilization of stainless steel reinforcement is a recent fact, therefore long-term field experiences are not available. Life Cycle Cost analysis has been used as criterion for selecting the type of steel in the reinforcement, estimating the service-life of structures with stainless steel bars with a serviceability of at least 120 years, without maintenance cost. An objective of service-life methodology is to develop a technical basis for predicting the useful life of reinforced concrete structures. The present work makes use of the potenciodynamic polarization curves to study electrochemical behavior of ASTM 316L stainless steel reinforcement. Common carbon steel rebars were included for comparison. The bars were studied n non-carbonated concretes with different chloride contents. Other part of the study also included the mechanical consequences of the corrosion development process: the bond (by pull-out) and tensile strength reduction. Integrating both parts of the study made it possible to develop an approach to the service-life prediction of structures reinforced with stainless steel rebars.