Forecasting the durability of reinforced concrete under conditions of microbiological corrosion

Abstract

The article presents data on the study of the kinetics of liquid corrosion of cement concrete infected with microorganisms Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus niger. The equilibrium concentrations of calcium cations during fungal and bacterial corrosion of cement concrete in an aqueous medium are established. According to the profiles of calcium hydroxide concentrations in the thickness of cement concrete during fungal and bacterial corrosion, it was found that during fungal corrosion of concrete, the intensity of interaction of calcium hydroxide with the products of the vital activity of microorganisms is higher than during bacterial corrosion. In case of fungal corrosion under conditions of Aspergillus niger infection, citric acid has the greatest impact on concrete since its amount in the products of the vital activity of microorganisms is maximum. Profiles of concentrations of aggressive substances by the thickness of the concrete sample show that bacterial corrosion proceeds more slowly than fungal corrosion and allow us to calculate the time to reach the maximum concentration of aggressive substances at the surface of steel reinforcement in concrete. Corrosion of reinforcement in concrete with fungal corrosion will begin in 2.5 years after infection, with bacterial corrosion after 5.5 years.

Keywords

• liquid corrosion
• concrete corrosion
• microbially induced
• corrosion
• fungal corrosion
• bacterial corrosion
• durability of reinforced concrete