Significance of steel electrical resistance method in the evaluation of reinforcement corrosion in cementitious systems

Abstract

The suitable detection system of steel reinforcement corrosion in concrete structures contributes to the reduction of their maintenance costs. Method of steel electrical resistance represents non-destructive monitoring of steel in cementitious systems. Specially prepared and arranged test specimen of steel as a corrosion sensor is embedded in mortar specimen. Verification tests of this method based on chloride corrosion of steel in mortars as well as its visual inspection are introduced. Significance of steel electrical resistance method lies in the expression of steel corrosion by these quantitative parameters: reduction of cross-section of steel, thickness of corroded layer and loss of weight of steel material. This method is an integral method that allows the indirect determination of mentioned corrosion characteristics. The comparison of verified method with gravimetric evaluation of steel corrosion gives a good correspondence. Test results on mortars with calcium chloride dosages between 0.5% and 4.0% by weight of cement prove high sensitiveness and reliability of steel electrical resistance method.

Keywords

• steel corrosion
• electrical resistance
• corrosion sensor
• quantitative evaluation