Compressive Performance of Corroded Reinforced Concrete Columns

Abstract

Corrosion of reinforcement has been identified as the deterioration mechanism of reinforced concrete structures, which seriously affects the safety and integrity of structures. The corrosion of the embedded reinforcing steel in concrete is a major problem facing civil engineers today, which initiates 80% of the reinforced concrete structures deterioration. This paper reveals the outcomes of an experimental investigation on the mechanical performance (residual strength) of circular steel reinforced columns which have been damaged by corrosion of the steel rebar. Small scale circular reinforced concrete columns with a diameter of 100 mm and 300 mm in height were adopted. Different rates of steel reinforcement mass loss (corrosion damage) ranged between 10%, 20% to 30 % were created in the columns by using a galvanostatic accelerated corrosion method combined with wetting-drying cycles. The uniaxial compression test was implemented for damaged columns up to failure. Based on the experimental outcomes, it was revealed that the corrosion damage had substantially reduced the performance of columns. The decrement of the load capacity of corroded columns ranged between 19% to 40% and for corrosion level ranged from 10% to 30%, respectively. The decrement of the final deformation of corroded columns ranged between 15% to 30% and for corrosion level ranged from 10% to 30%, respectively. Likewise, the failure mode and relationship between the stress and strain for corroded columns had been adversely affected by corrosion.

Keywords

• columns
• corrosion
• mass loss reinforcing steel
• ultimate axial strain
• ultimate axial strength