Corrosion Of Steel Bars Research Articles

Grading assessment of steel bar corrosion in concrete structures based on naive Bayesian model and spontaneous magnetic flux leakage effect

In order to explore an accurate method to evaluate the corrosion of reinforced concrete structures, the spontaneous magnetic flux leakage (SMFL) signal distribution on the surface of reinforced concrete specimens under different corrosion degrees was scanned based on SMFL technology. The influence of steel bar length, steel bar diameter, and other parameters on the distribution of SMFL signal was studied. The correlation between steel bar corrosion and the characteristic magnetic index of concrete structure was explored. Based on the naive Bayesian model, the classification evaluation of the steel bar corrosion degree of concrete structure was carried out. The results show that the variation of SMFL signal is affected by the corrosion degree α. When the lift-off height and the thickness of concrete protective layer remain unchanged, the slope between the peak and trough of Bz (magnetic induction intensity along z direction) curve increases with the increase of α, and the trough of Bx (magnetic induction intensity along x direction) curve decreases with the increase of the corrosion degree α. The peak and trough of magnetic signal curve can be used as the basis for determining the corrosion position. There is a strong correlation between the magnetic characteristic index β, γ, and the steel corrosion degree α obtained by SMFL. Through the characterization relationship between α, β, and γ, the corresponding models of single and comprehensive index β and γ were established. The results showed that the accuracy of β and γ integrated discriminant Naive Bayesian model-III reached 90.7%, which proved that the evaluation method has high reliability. This study explores the application of SMFL in corrosion detection of concrete structures.

Bond-slip behavior between corroded rebar and lightweight aggregate concrete

The bond-slip property between the corroded steel bar and lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) was investigated. The effects of concrete cover, stirrups spacing, and steel bar corrosion level were experimentally studied using beam-type specimens. The results suggested that the bond strength of LWAC specimen was improved by the increase in concrete cover and the decrease in the spacing of stirrups, and the negative effect of the corrosion on bond strength was mitigated by the increasing thickness of cover and the spacing of the decreasing stirrups. The bond strength between LWAC and steel bar was negatively correlated to the corrosion level and the corrosion-induced cracking. The models for the bond degradation coefficient of LWAC specimens were established based on different forms of function, and the prediction of the exponential model showed better agreement with the test results. The model linking bond strength degradation in LWAC elements and corrosion-induced crack width was developed by considering factors including concrete covers and equivalent width of cracks.

Modelling the corrosion mechanism of steel bars in chloride-contaminated concrete with transverse cracks

The development of cracks in reinforced concrete structures can accelerate structural deterioration and reduce service life. A numerical model was established to analyse steel bar corrosion in chloride-contaminated concrete with transverse cracks. In the model, the dynamic distinction between anode and cathode regions on the steel surface is considered by introducing an empirical formula for the anodic Tafel slope related to chloride concentration. The time-dependent characteristics of the corroded region were examined using the proposed corrosion prediction model and the corrosion process of steel bars in cracked concrete was revealed. The effects of crack width and crack spacing on steel corrosion were analysed in detail in terms of the corrosion area and corrosion rate. The results showed a variation in the corrosion area adjacent to cracks over time and a positive correlation between corrosion area and the square root of time. According to the micro-cell and macro-cell contributions to the corrosion rate, the process of steel bar corrosion was determined to occur in three stages. The effects of transverse cracks on the corrosion rate were found to vary with exposure time and to depend on the control steps of the micro- or macro-cells.

The Prediction of Steel Bar Corrosion Based on BP Neural Networks or Multivariable Gray Models.

The corrosion of steel bars in concrete has a significant impact on the durability of constructed structures. Based on the gray relational analysis (GRA) of the accelerated corrosion data and practical engineering data using MATLAB, a back propagation neural network (BPNN) model, a multivariable gray prediction model (GM (1, N)), and an optimization multivariable gray prediction model (OGM (1, N)) of steel corrosion were established by using a sequence of the key affecting factors. By comparing the prediction results of the three models, it is found that the GM (1, N) model has larger fitting and prediction errors for steel corrosion, while the OGM (1, N) model has smaller prediction errors in the accelerated corrosion data; the BPNN model offers more accurate predictions of the practical engineering data. The results show that the BPNN and OGM (1, N) models are all suitable for the prediction of steel bar corrosion in concrete structures.

Seismic vulnerability assessment of reinforced concrete bridge piers exposed to chloride-induced corrosion

Existing reinforced concrete (RC) bridge piers located near the sea are vulnerable to corrosion phenomena that might negatively affect the load-bearing capacity of the overall bridge, especially under seismic loading. It is of primary importance to assess the seismic vulnerability of existing RC bridge piers under different corrosion scenarios, in order to quantify the reduction of the seismic structural safety induced by these frequent material degradation phenomena. This contribution deals with an experimental-numerical procedure for the seismic vulnerability assessment of corroded bridge piers. The procedure is illustrated in the context of the Zappulla multi-span viaduct (Sicily, Italy), whose RC piers are experiencing chloride-induced corrosion. A comprehensive quality control is conducted, including carbonation tests, corrosion potential mapping and extraction of corroded steel bars for tensile tests, in conjunction with SonReb tests and concrete coring. The test results are critically interpreted to calibrate a numerical fiber-hinge model of the bridge pier, through which numerical seismic analysis is performed under two different corrosion scenarios. It has been found that the seismic safety margin of pier structures is reduced of up to 20-40% by taking into account a mass loss in percentage of the steel bars equal to 20-30%, as suggested by experimental findings.

Studies on Strength and Flexural Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Beams with the Corroded Steel Reinforcements as a result of Sodium Chloride (NaCl)

Corrosion on embedded reinforcement is a serious structural failure which its deterioration are rarely concerned. Reinforcing steel are frequently found left unattended on corrosive environment where potential corroding substances might expose surface of rebar resulting in corrosion initiation. This paper reports result of a study conducted to investigate the impact of a rebar corrosion on flexural strength of reinforced concrete beam induced by 10.5% NaCl. Tensile test was conducted in this study to determine the degradation of tensile strength on rebar and was later utilized to analyse the reduction of maximum load bearing capacity on reinforced concrete beam. Both flexural rebar and tensile rebar were corroded using manual basting method which is carried out every day from 08.00 A.M-10 P.M (every 2 hours step). The corrosion area on flexural steel samples is at the maximum flexural strength area (400 mm in the middle of the span) and is later used on flexural testing purposes after casting with concrete, the tensile steel samples which is 600 mm span of rebar is later utilized for tensile testing purposes and is corroded in the middle of the span (185 mm in the middle of the span). Based on test results, it was observed that steel bar suffered significant loss of weights due to corrosion induced by 10.5% NaCl with respect to its corroding duration three and four months are 1.85% and 3.34% reduction of weight from its normal form and its tensile strength degraded, respectively, 6.78 % and 9.86%. Meanwhile, the reinforced concrete beam with corroded steel bars happened to experience degradation of maximum load capacity which are, respectively, 10% and 15% reduction for three and 4 months of corroding duration.

Experimental studies on flexural action of RC beams made with hybrid rebars - A brief review

Reinforced Steel bars used in concrete constructions are particularly susceptible to corrosion since they don't have enough corrosion resistance, which decreases durability and long-term performance. The main cause of steel bar corrosion is moisture interaction, which results in rust, which causes cracks and spalling, which affects durability and long-term performance. FRP bars, which have several benefits over steel bars such as strong resistance to corrosion, higher tensile strength than steel bars, and a 1/4th of the weight of steel bars, which decreases shipping and labor costs, are now entering the market as a solution to the aforementioned issues. Polypropylene fibers in concrete have high mechanical strength, stiffness, and durability. This paper tells about the type of FRP bar and Fiber that has been chosen in order to enhance the studies on the performance of flexure of RC beams made with a combination of FRP and Steel bars. From previous studies, it has been concluded that 0.25% of fibers are used as optimum dosage in terms of volume fraction in order to improve the behavior of flexure and ductility of beams made with a combination of Steel and FRP bars.

Corrosion inhibition of mild steel bars by biosurfactant produced by Penicillium citrinum

Corrosion is a major challenge in the construction technology and manufacturing industries. Not only does corrosion reduce the aesthetics of a building, but it also reduces the durability of the structure. Various efforts and research are being carried out globally to overcome this problem, ranging from prevention to maintenance processes. Due to the increased awareness of the importance of preserving the environment for health and ecological systems, studies are increasingly focused on the use of environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitors. This study focuses on the effect of different concentrations of biosurfactant produced by Penicillium Citrinum on mild steel bar corrosion. The biosurfactant was produced from indigenous fungi isolated from the municipal dumpsite and uses waste frying oil (WFO) as the sole carbon source. Weight loss experiment (gravimetric) was carried out to analyse the corrosion inhibition rate and efficiency of the biosurfactant produced. The steel bars were conditioned by immersion in the 0.9% NaCl containing biosurfactant at different concentrations (v/v) of 5%, 7.5%, and 10% for 14 days, 28 days, and 100 days. The weight loss of the coated bars was compared to those of the control samples and the non-organic surfactant, Tween 80. The discovery demonstrates that corrosion inhibition increases as biosurfactant content increases. The results show that biosurfactants secreted by an indigenous soil fungus, Penicillium citrinum have the potential as green corrosion inhibitors in mild steel bars.

The Control of Flexural Cracks in the Design of Reinforced Concrete Beams for Kabul City s Exposure Condition

For a concrete structure to be serviceable crack width must be controlled and must not exceed the limited values for a specific exposure condition. Cracking in the concrete is the a most challenging issue for engineers since it reduces the overall strength of the structure, damages the aesthetics of the concrete, and causes corrosion in steel bars. The current study addresses the effects of flexural cracks on the serviceability of concrete structures and the control of cracks in the design of reinforced concrete beams. The study also aims to outline the importance of the control of flexural cracks, their major consequences, and the magnitude of cracking in reinforced concrete beams. A reinforced concrete beam model is designed and described for predicting the flexural cracks through numerical analysis and remarking its parameters, such as steel bars diameters, concrete covers, and steel bars arrangements that affect the size of flexural cracks in the tensile zone of concrete members. A total of 14 specimens are used to measure the range of crack widths for various scenarios based on which the significant variables affecting crack width are identified. The study concludes that the consideration for crack control in the design of reinforced concrete beams is essential. Hence, structural engineers should take extreme measures to ensure safety and serviceability when designing the structure by taking the crack-limit state into account. Keywords: Reinforced Concrete Beams, Flexural Cracks, Serviceability, Steel Bars’ Arrangement, Concrete Cover.

Comparative experiment of steel bar corrosion at concrete construction joints

Introduction: Construction joint is common and even inevitable in most of the reinforcement concrete structures. This study was to assess the effect of construction joints on chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete.Methods: Test parameters included two environmental conditions (salt solution immersion condition and cyclic wet-dry condition), two forms of construction joint (direct wet joint and roughened wet joint) and four types of steel bar (mild steel bar, ferritic stainless-steel bar, austenitic-ferritic stainless-steel bar and epoxy-coated steel bar). The corrosion test of 90 specimens was carried out by electrochemical accelerated corrosion method. The weight loss of each steel bar and steel bar section in specimens was measured. An influence coefficient (k_j) of construction joint on local weigh loss of steel bars was defined.Results: Except for epoxy-coated steel bars, the most severe corrosion of experimental steel bars in concrete specimens all occurred at the joints, while the corrosion in non-joint sections of steel bars was relatively uniform and less. The weight loss rate of specimens has the range of 1.18% to 15.73% with an average value of 6.22%. The average k_j of mild steel bars, S11203 stainless steel bars, and S23043 stainless steel bars are 1.38, 1.92, and 1.97, respectively. The average k_j of specimens in immersion condition and cyclic wet-dry condition are 1.44 and 2.07. The corrosion of epoxy-coated steel bars mainly occurred at the damage locations of epoxy coating, not mainly at the joints.Conclusion: Chloride-induced corrosion of steel bars at construction joints was always more severe than at non-joints, especially in cyclic wet-dry environments, even for stainless-steel bar, but epoxy-coated steel bars were excluded.

Effects of treated corrosion reinforcement on structural behavior of concrete beams

Structural degradation phenomena like reinforcement corrosion in concrete structures imply a consequent reduction in time of the safety level. Corrosion causes a reduction of the sectional area, ductility and strength of rebars, bond strength between steel and concrete. The subsequent redistribution of internal stresses induces a reduction in ductility at ultimate limit state and a variation of the deformational behavior in serviceability conditions. In this paper, an experimental investigation was carried out to study the effect of treated corrosion reinforcement on structural behavior of concrete beams. In this investigation, phosphoric acid and vinegar solution are used to treat the corroded steel bars and compared the bending strength of concrete beams with treated and untreated corrosion reinforcement. A finite element computer software (ANSYS) has been used to compare the experimental results. From the experimental and analytical results, it was observed that performance of concrete beams with treated corrosion reinforcement is better than the concrete beams with corrosion reinforcement,

Carbonation depth model for loaded reinforced concrete (RC) beams under time-dependent relative humidity conditions

Steel bar corrosion caused by concrete carbonation is one of the important factors of the durability failure of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. The annual relative humidity (RH) in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River shows obvious time-dependent characteristics. The important wharf components represented by RC beams bear flexural loads during their long-term service. The carbonation of RC structures under the coupling of the service environment and flexural load is very complicated. However, corresponding studies on the carbonation of loaded RC structures are mostly carried out in a constant RH environment, which is quite different from the time-dependent RH (T-RH) conditions in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. For this study, the RC beam of a wharf in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River is treated as the research object. According to the long-term observation data of the 24-year daily mean RH at this wharf site, the periodic (time-dependent) characteristics of RH in a typical year are obtained by statistical analysis. On this basis, a physical experiment for RC beam specimens subjected to flexural loads under an accelerated carbonation environment with T-RH is carried out to explore the influence of the coupling effect of the T-RH and flexural load on the concrete carbonation behaviour. The results showed that the range of RH is basically distributed from 45 to 95%, and the monthly mean RH over a typical year shows a 'W'-shaped periodic characteristic. The compressive strength and concrete carbonation depth under the T-RH environment are larger than those under the C-RH carbonation environment; hence, the carbonation degree of concrete under a T-RH environment is more serious. When the flexural load level is less than 1.0, the flexural tensile stress can accelerate the carbonation degree of RC specimens, and the carbonation depth of concrete is positively correlated with the flexural load level. When the flexural load does not reach the concrete compressive strength, the flexural compressive stress can inhibit concrete carbonation. Based on the experimental measurements, the carbonation depth model for loaded RC beams under the T-RH is established, and the accuracy of the model is verified by the original test data collected during 27 years of the natural carbonation of RC beams. Through the studies and achievements presented in this paper, the carbonation trends of loaded RC beams under T-RH are revealed, and the corresponding mathematical model is established, which can be used to evaluate the carbonation depth of loaded RC beams considering T-RH in general atmospheric environments. The research results can provide a basis for RC structure durability evaluation in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and have important guiding significance for practical engineering.

An Experimental Approach to Evaluate the Effect of Reinforcement Corrosion on Flexural Performance of RC Beams

The corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete has been reported as one of the main durability problems of reinforced concrete (RC) structures exposed to chloride, carbonation or both. To investigate the structural performances of RC structures subjected to corrosive exposure, the corrosion of rebars embedded in concrete is accelerated to induce a targeted degree of reinforcement corrosion in a short time duration. Several earlier researchers have attempted to develop a setup to induce the accelerated corrosion of steel bars in concrete structures. However, the induced corrosion has not been simulative of the naturally occurring corrosion of steel in concrete, causing a lack of accuracy in the test results. In this study, an attempt was made to develop a novel approach that could be utilized to induce required degrees of reinforcement corrosion following a natural pattern. To demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed setup and procedure of introducing uniform reinforcement corrosion, RC beam specimens were designed, cast, and corroded to three different corrosion levels. After inducing reinforcement corrosion, the beams were tested under flexural stress, and then the corroded bars were extracted to measure the mass loss due to corrosion. The visual inspection and gravimetric and flexural test results showed the capability of the proposed corrosion setup and procedure to induce the targeted uniform corrosion of steel bars, simulating a real-life scenario and facilitating the evaluation of the effect of reinforcement corrosion on the flexural performances of RC beams with very high accuracy.

Basis for calculation the residual mechanical properties of corroding bars

AbstractCorrosion of steel reinforcement is known to affect the residual bearing capacity of the structure. The loss of metal supposes a decrease of the sectional area of the reinforcing bar, either homogeneously distributed or concentrated in some zones. The morphology of the corroded area is a critical issue because while the uniform loss is influencing the steel strength, when it is localized also the ductility is reduced due the local stress concentration. There are previous publications showing the impact of corrosion on some mechanical aspects of the steel as on the ductility, the strength or the elastic modulus, but still we lack of a comprehensive framework of all types of corrosion. In this work a classification is made of the types of damages for better assessing their consequences. Further, through application of basic classical mechanics are given expressions to calculate the “corrosion factor” related to the yield strength, the ultimate strength, the elastic modulus and the elongation (ductility). Finally, through fracture mechanics and an energetic approach are given the expressions for the critical stress intensity factor and the “apparent” residual section “loss” of the corroded steel bars.

Improvement in the flexural behaviour of road pavement slab concrete containing steel fibre and silica fume

Cracks in concrete surfaces occur because of steel bar corrosion in reinforced concrete marine structures and other infrastructures, such as pavement slabs. Recently, the use of steel fibre-reinforced concrete (SFRC) to reduce and delay cracking and increase flexure strength has attracted considerable interest. Incorporating steel fibre in concrete delays and controls the tensile cracks of composite materials. This paper investigates the effect of using steel fibre (SF) and silica fume with steel fibre on the compressive strength and flexural behaviour of road pavement slabs (RPSs). Three concrete mixtures of concrete are the first mixture (MCC) is the control mixture, the second concrete mixture (MSFRC) contains steel fibres as an additive with a fraction volume of 1%, and the third concrete mixture (MSFRC–SF) contains steel fibres with a fraction volume of 1% and silica fume with a fraction volume of 10% as an additive. In addition, the effects of the types of curing tap water (TW) and seawater (SW) on concrete were investigated. Compressive strength was assessed at 7 and 28 days, and RPS flexural behaviour was measured at 28 days. The microstructure of concrete was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The compressive strength of the mixes (MSFRC–SF) cured with TW and SW increased by 21.20% and 14.40%, respectively, compared with the control mixture (MCC). The ultimate loads for RPS–MSFRC–TW and RPS–MSFRC–SF–TW increased by about 24.29% and 46.95%, respectively, relative to the ultimate load of RPS–MCC–TW. The ultimate loads for RPS–MSFRC–SW, and RPS–MSFRC–SF–SW increased by about 36.32% and 59.90%, respectively, when the samples were tested with RPS-MCC–SW.

The mechanical properties of GFRP bars embedded in geopolymer concrete after high temperature exposure

Geopolymer concrete prepared with fly ash and slag has exhibited excellent thermostability and thermal insulation performance. Through combining geopolymer concrete with glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars, the existing problems like high energy consumption, massive CO2 emission and steel bars corrosion in traditional reinforced concrete structures can be solved. To investigate the mechanical properties of GFRP bars embedded in geopolymer concrete after high temperature exposure, a test was conducted on 419 specimens in this study. Factors that influence the performance include exposure temperature, exposure time and type of concrete cover. The results demonstrated that the tensile properties of bare GFRP bars decreased significantly in the temperature range from 400 °C to 600 °C, and the ratio of tensile strength loss was as high as 50%–90%. The geopolymer concrete cover can effectively slow down and mitigate the degradation in tensile strength and elastic modulus of GFRP bars after high temperature exposure (400–600 °C), but this effect weakens following the rise in exposure temperature and time. In addition, the degradation mechanism of GFRP bars within geopolymer concrete was further analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in the microscopic level. Finally, the contribution ratio of each influence factor to the residual tensile strength of GFRP bars after high temperature exposure was numerically illustrated using the statistical method of analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Cyclic and Fragility Analysis of a Corroded Bridge Reinforced by Steel Plates under Mainshock and Aftershock Sequences

The corrosion of steel bars embedded in concrete structures results in the degradation of their structural capacity. In earthquake-prone zones, the corroded structure may be considerably vulnerable under mainshock–aftershock sequences relative to a single mainshock. Therefore, it is necessary to reinforce corroded structures to resist potential natural hazards. In this study, the effects of both pitting and uniform corrosion on the structural capacity of a bridge pier before and after strengthening were studied. Subsequently, the failure probability of a corroded bridge was calculated, which is conditional on the corrosion level, steel plate thickness, and ground-motion intensity. The findings implied that both pitting and uniform corrosions significantly reduced the capacity of the bridge pier, particularly pitting corrosion. The fragility curves showed that with an increased thickness of the steel plate, the probability of failure decreases if the intensity of the mainshock–aftershock sequences is higher than the threshold value. In addition, the threshold value has a high correlation with the thickness of the steel plate and the corrosion ratio.

Bond-Slip Model of Corroded Reinforced Concrete and Its Application in Members

ABSTRACT The corrosion of longitudinal rebar and stirrups will cause serious degradation to the bond performance between steel bars and concrete. To investigate the impact of both longitudinal rebar and stirrup corrosion on the bond behavior, 35 reinforced concrete (RC) pull-out specimens were subjected to accelerated corrosion tests of electroosmosis-constant current-dry wet cycles and pull-out tests, and then the influence laws of the degree of corrosion of the longitudinal reinforcement, degree of corrosion of the stirrups, cover thickness, stirrup spacing and longitudinal reinforcement diameter on the bond performance were studied. The bond behavior between corroded steel bars and concrete was analyzed from the aspects of corrosion form, failure mode and bond strength. Subsequently, based on the experimental data, a modified bond-slip constitutive model that considers the design parameters, stirrup corrosion and longitudinal rebar corrosion was built and verified. Finally, based on the established modified bond-slip constitutive model, the corroded RC column was simulated, and the accuracy of the established modified bond-slip constitutive model was verified at the component level.

Experimental and theoretical study on bonding performance of FRP bars-Recycled aggregate concrete

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) bars-Recycled Aggregate Concrete (RAC) can alleviate the environmental damage caused by the massive exploitation of natural aggregates and solve the problem of corrosion of steel bars in concrete structures. However, the bonding performance of FRP bars-RAC determines whether it can replace the original reinforced concrete structure in buildings. In the current study, FRP bars-RAC bond performance factors and bond strength theory have been comprehensively investigated through pull-out tests performed for a large number of FRP bars-RAC. In this context, the effects of Recycled Aggregate (RA) replacement rate (0 %, 25 %, 50 % and 100 %), FRP bar diameter (8 mm, 10 mm and 12 mm) and RAC cover thickness (20 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm and 70 mm) on the bond strength, fracture mode, and bond-slip curve of FRP bars-RAC were investigated. Overall, the findings showed that the inclusion of RA reduces the ductility of concrete. Increasing the recycled aggregate replacement rate resulted in gradual losses in bond strength and ultimate slip of FRP bars. In addition, the increase in the diameter and anchor length of the FRP bars led to a gradual decrease in the bond strength between the FRP bars and the RAC. Nevertheless, through increasing the strength of RAC and the thickness of the concrete protective layer, the bond strength between FRP bars-RAC can be enhanced. Through the analysis of test data, the bond strength model of FRP bars-RAC was established based on the thick-walled cylinder theory. In the model, the diameters of FRP bars, rib inclination angle, rib spacing, RAC strength, and protective layer thickness were taken as variables. While the high degree of agreement between the values calculated from the model and the measured values revealed the success of the established modeling, the ratio of the calculated value of the model to the experimental value was measured as 0.66–1.

A predictive phase-field approach for cover cracking in corroded concrete elements

Steel bar corrosion is a crucial problem in reinforced concrete structures. Corrosion, being one of the most prevalent deterioration mechanism in concrete elements, has a significant impact on the structure's serviceability and durability, since the cross section of the steel reinforcement is reduced and the mechanical steel performances deteriorate. Additionally, residual material is created as a result of the steel oxidation process, and the volume occupied by the reinforcement grows, forcing the concrete cover to crack and spall. The carbonation-induced rebar corrosion and the subsequent cover cracking are simulated via the usage of a predictive model which combines the concrete carbonation process with the phase-field technique for brittle fractures. First, the carbon dioxide transport within the concrete is described using the Fick’s second diffusion law. Then, the corrosion process is estimated via the electrochemical kinetics equations providing the associated steel expansion. The steel deformation and strain are calculated with the Faraday Law. Finally, a phase field approach for brittle material is used to reproduce rupture in the concrete cover. The developed model is validated against examples available in literature and representative examples are illustrated, describing the capability of the proposed approach to replicate the cover cracking in concrete.