An experimental assessment of corrosion damage and bending capacity reduction of singly reinforced concrete beams subjected to accelerated corrosion

Abstract

Many existing concrete structures damaged by corrosion show signs of deterioration. The assessment of the structural performance of their components requires understanding the link between the damage such as the corrosion crack width and cross-section loss, and mechanical behavior. This paper investigates the structural behavior of corroded concrete beams reinforced with ribbed and smooth bars by studying the relation between the corrosion damage and the failure mechanism under three-point bending. Results of corrosion damage measurements indicate that corrosion crack width is a good indicator of the corrosion level. Furthermore, results of the bending tests indicate the effect of the interaction between bond deterioration and the distribution of cross-section loss on the bending behavior. Finally, relating the relative reduction in bending capacity to the average rebar cross-section loss indicates a strong correlation in the case of beams with ribbed bars while more scatter occurs in the case of those with smooth bars.