A Exprimental Study on the Corrosion of Reinforcing Steel in a Coastal Concrete Structure due to the Attack of Chloride Ions

염분침투에 의한 해안 콘크리트 구조물의 철근부식에 관한 실험적 연구

One of the principal causes of the deterioation of coastal concrete structures is the corrosion of reinforcing steel induced by the attack of chloride ions. An experimental study was performed to investigate the distribution of concentration of chloride ions in a coastal concrete structure and to measure the half-cell potential of embedded steel by using the copper-copper sulfate reference electrode. Quantitative analysis showed that the concentration of chloride ion in the aqueous phase near the surface of embedded steel exceeded a threshold value for corrosion, 0.05% by weight in concrete. The absolute value of half-cell potential at some members of embedded steel was measured to be higher than 350mV, indicating that the probability of corrosion is more than 90%. The prediction on corrosion based on the experimental measurements was confirmed by the observation of corrosion on the surface of steel bars in the concrete core taken out of the concrete structure.