Rapid chloride penetration test: An evaluation of corrosion resistance in ultra-high performance concrete

Abstract

Six Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) mixtures were tested to determine their chloride ion ingress potential using the rapid chloride penetration test (RCPT). The UHPC mixtures showed low to negligible chloride ion penetrability, depending on their water to cementitious materials (w/cm) ratio and curing regimen. Electrical resistivity and conductivity of the mixtures were determined based on the recorded electric current during the RCPT test. The electrical resistivity varied from 49 to 1419 Ω-meter, while conductivity ranged from 0.0007 to 0.0013 milli-Siemens/meter, indicating a moderate to very low expected corrosion rate for the mixtures. The chloride diffusion coefficient was calculated using the Nernst-Plank Equation, making corrections for Joule effect and temperature adjustment due to the temperature increase of the electrode solution during the RCPT test. The chloride ion diffusion coefficients of the UHPC mixtures ranged from 0.53–3.01 × 10−15 m2/s. These results suggest that UHPC mixtures with a w/cm ratio as high as 0.30 can exhibit excellent corrosion resistance.