Corrosion Monitoring of Reinforced Concrete Structures – Actual Research Results and New Guidelines

Abstract

The corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete, caused by de-icing salt or carbonation, represents a considerable repair expense in Germany every year. Electrochemical corrosion monitoring can be a helpful tool to determine the ingress of the depassivation front into a chloride exposed structure. The installation of appropriate sensors in existing structures can make the success of the repair verifiable after the repair work has been completed. To date, however, there is no set of rules for corrosion monitoring. In 2018, a leaflet B12 of the DGZfP [1] was published for the first time, which can serve as a guideline. Furthermore, in the last 3 years a broad-based research project has been carried out in Germany on open questions of corrosion monitoring. The knowledge gained in this way will be incorporated into a DAfStb-Leaflet that is currently being processed. Both the relevant findings of the investigated part at the University of Applied Sciences Munich HM and the content of the leaflet are presented.