Residual Mechanical Properties of Corroded Steel Bars after High-Temperature Exposure

Abstract

Accidental fires in aged concrete structures can lead to combined damage from corrosion and fire. In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of corrosion and high temperature on the residual mechanical properties of hot-rolled plain and ribbed bars. The results indicated that the corroded steel bars still exhibited ductile failure after high-temperature exposure. Moreover, the combined action of high temperature and corrosion has little effect on the elastic modulus. The residual bearing capacity of the hot-rolled steel bar became smaller under the condition of temperatures above 600°C. When the temperatures experienced by the plain and ribbed steel bars were less than 600°C and 500°C, respectively, the high temperature accelerated the decrease in the nominal yield and ultimate strength. However, the yield and ultimate strengths based on the minimum cross-sectional area remained unchanged with an increase in the cross-sectional loss ratio. Similar to that at room temperature, the ultimate strain of steel bars subjected to high-temperature exposure decreased exponentially with an increase in the cross-sectional loss ratio. The new findings of this study can provide a theoretical basis for the safety assessment of aged reinforced concrete structures after exposure to fire.