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The effect of the steel–concrete interface on chloride-induced corrosion initiation in concrete: a critical review by RILEM TC 262-SCI

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Abstract

The steel–concrete interface (SCI) is known to influence corrosion of steel in concrete. However, due to the numerous factors affecting the SCI—including steel properties, concrete properties, execution, and exposure conditions—it remains unclear which factors have the most dominant impact on the susceptibility of reinforced concrete to corrosion. In this literature review, prepared by members of RILEM technical committee 262-SCI, an attempt is made to elucidate the effect of numerous SCI characteristics on chloride-induced corrosion initiation of steel in concrete. We use a method to quantify and normalize the effect of individual SCI characteristics based on different literature results, which allows comparing them in a comprehensive context. It is found that the different SCI characteristics have received highly unbalanced research attention. Parameters such as w/b ratio and cement type have been studied most extensively. Interestingly, however, literature consistently indicates that those parameters have merely a moderate effect on the corrosion susceptibility of steel in concrete. Considerably more pronounced effects were identified for (1) steel properties, including metallurgy, presence of mill scale or rust layers, and surface roughness, and (2) the moisture state. Unfortunately, however, these aspects have received comparatively little research attention. Due to their apparently strong influence, future corrosion studies as well as developments towards predicting corrosion initiation in concrete would benefit from considering those aspects. Particularly the working mechanisms related to the moisture conditions in microscopic and macroscopic voids at the SCI is complex and presents major opportunities for further research in corrosion of steel in concrete.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the input provided by all TC members attending the discussions of the TC meetings on 22 October 2017 (Philadelphia, U.S.), 7 April 2017 (Paris, France), 14 September 2017 (Zurich, Switzerland), 14 October 2017 (Anaheim, U.S.), 27 March 2018 (Sheffield, UK), 28 August 2018 (Delft, the Netherlands), 21 February 2019 (Zurich, Switzerland), and 19 March 2019 (Rovinj, Croatia). Additionally, we acknowledge the so far unpublished results that were provided by Raoul François from Université de Toulouse, France (Fig. 5), and by Carolina Boschmann from ETH Zurich, Switzerland (Figs. 8, 9).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Building Materials (IfB), ETH Zurich, Stefano-Franscini-Platz 3, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland

    Ueli M. Angst & Bernhard Elsener

  2. Department of Structural Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491, Trondheim, Norway

    Mette R. Geiker

  3. Institute of Construction Science Eduardo Torroja-CSIC, Serrano Galvache 4, 28033, Madrid, Spain

    Maria Cruz Alonso & Maria Criado

  4. RPCP, Gouda, The Netherlands

    Rob Polder

  5. Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands

    Rob Polder

  6. School of Civil and Construction Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA

    O. Burkan Isgor

  7. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, Skempton Building, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    Hong Wong

  8. Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

    Alexander Michel

  9. Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Directorate of Public Roads, Trondheim, Norway

    Karla Hornbostel

  10. Centre for Building Materials (CBM), Technical University Munich (TUM), Baumbachstr. 7, 81245, Munich, Germany

    Christoph Gehlen

  11. LMDC, INSA, UPS, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France

    Raoul François

  12. Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Córdoba, 14071, Córdoba, Spain

    Mercedes Sanchez

  13. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin St, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK

    Maria Criado

  14. Danish Technological Institute, Gregersensvej, 2630, Taastrup, Denmark

    Henrik Sørensen

  15. Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada

    Carolyn Hansson

  16. Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Chennai, TN, 600036, India

    Radhakrishna Pillai

  17. Division 7.4, Technology of Construction Materials, Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205, Berlin, Germany

    Shishir Mundra

  18. Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rijkswaterstaat-GPO, Griffioenlaan 2, 3526 LA, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Joost Gulikers

  19. Institut für Baustoffforschung, RWTH Aachen University, Schinkelstraße 3, 52056, Aachen, Germany

    Michael Raupach

  20. CTL Group, Skokie, IL, USA

    José Pacheco

  21. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL, 33620-5350, USA

    Alberto Sagüés

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  1. Ueli M. Angst
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  2. Mette R. Geiker
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  3. Maria Cruz Alonso
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Correspondence to Ueli M. Angst.

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Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This article has been prepared within a framework of RILEM TC 262-SCI. The article has been reviewed and approved by all TC members.

TC Chair: Ueli M. Angst.

Deputy Chair: Mette R. Geiker.

TC Members: Johan Ahlström, Mark Alexander, Ueli Angst, Christian Christodoulou, Maria Joao Correia, Maria Criado, Maria Cruz Alonso, Bernhard Elsener, Raoul François, Christoph Gehlen, Mette Geiker, Joost Gulikers, Carolyn Hansson, Karla Hornbostel, Burkan Isgor, Marc Kosalla, Andraz Legat, Kefei Li, Victor Marcos Meson, Alexander Michel, Shishir Mundra, Mike Otieno, José Pacheco Farias, Farhad Pargar, Radhakrishna Pillai, Rob Polder, Michael Raupach, Alberto Sagüés, Henrik Erndahl Sørensen, Luping Tang, David Trejo, Elsa Vaz Pereira, Talakokula Visalakshi, Hong Wong, Linwen Yu, Yuxi Zhao.

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Angst, U.M., Geiker, M.R., Alonso, M.C. et al. The effect of the steel–concrete interface on chloride-induced corrosion initiation in concrete: a critical review by RILEM TC 262-SCI. Mater Struct 52, 88 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-019-1387-0

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