Effectiveness of Calcium Nitrite in Retarding Corrosion of Steel in Concrete

Abstract

Corrosion of steel bars embedded in concrete admixed with 0%, 2% and 4% calcium nitrite (CN), having compressive strengths of 20 and 46 MPa was investigated. Reinforced concrete specimens were immersed in 3% NaCl solutions for 1, 7 and 15 days where 0.4A external current was applied to accelerate the chemical reactions. Corrosion rate was measured by retrieving electrochemical data via potentiodynamic polarization technique. Pull-out tests of reinforced concrete specimens were then conducted to assess the corroded steel-concrete bond characteristics. Experimental results showed that corrosion rate of steel bars and steel-concrete bond strength were dependent on concrete strength, amount of CN added and accelerated corrosion period. As concrete strength increased from 20 to 46 MPa, corrosion rate of embedded steel decreased. The addition of 2% CN to concrete of 20 MPa was not effective in retarding corrosion of steel at long time of exposure. However, the combination of higher strength concrete and 2% or 4% CN appear to be a desirable approach to reduce the effect of chloride-induced corrosion of steel reinforcement. After 1 day of corrosion acceleration, specimens without CN showed higher bond strength in both concrete mixes than those with CN. After 7 and 15 days of exposure, the higher concentration of CN, the higher bond strength in both concrete mixes achieved, except for the concrete specimen of 20 MPa compressive strength with 2% CN that recorded the highest deterioration in bond strength at 15 days of exposure.