Electrochemical process to improve the durability of concrete structures

Abstract

Chloride induced corrosion of steel in concrete is a major threat to the construction industry leading to the premature failure of concrete structures. Electrochemical injection of corrosion inhibitor (EICI) into concrete is a promising technique for existing concrete structures, which can serve as a rehabilitative measure to retard or reduce rebar corrosion. An attempt has been made to evaluate the effectiveness of a hybrid inhibitor formulation injected into chloride contaminated concrete. The optimised current density of 0.5A/m2 was found to be a minimum requirement with maximum efficiency. During EICI, the amount of free chloride removed from cover concrete was also tested. The mechanism of inhibitive action was established through FTIR, SEM, EDAX and MIP studies.