FEM-models for the propagation period of chloride induced reinforcement corrosion

Abstract

The paper reports the results of numerical simulations carried out with FEM and aimed at evaluating the corrosion conditions of steel bars in concrete elements subjected to chlorides. Two case studies were analysed: a reinforced concrete element subjected to de-icing salt in the presence of a crack and a concrete tunnel in a chloride-contaminated, water saturated soil. Attention was focused on the selection of proper values of concrete resistivity and of the parameters suitable to describe the electrochemical behaviour of steel in the different conditions of exposure. The results allowed to quantify the effects of the galvanic coupling between active and passive areas on the corrosion rate of steel.