Study on the durability improvement of cracked concrete based on bidirectional electromigration rehabilitation

Abstract

In order to study the effect of Bidirectional Electromigration (BIEM) in cracked coastal concrete, the influence of the relative position and width of a crack on chloride removal and corrosion inhibition was ascertained through numerical simulation and experimental research. The results showed that, in the power-on state, the current in the crack was higher than that on other positions, leading to current concentration effect. If the BIEM technique was applied, the steel bar corrosion potential in cracked concrete could be restored to a high level. The width of a transverse crack had no significant influence on the corrosion potential restoration, while a longitudinal crack had better corrosion potential restoration effect as the cracks became wider. When the crack width was less than 0.1 mm, BIEM presented a similar chloride removal and corrosion inhibition effect to that in the uncracked concrete. If more than 0.1 mm, the efficiency of removing chloride ions and migrating corrosion inhibitor in the crack increased with the crack width, but decreased on the positions far from the crack.