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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Experimental Protocol to Determine the Chloride Threshold Value for Corrosion in Samples Taken from Reinforced Concrete Structures
Published on: August 31, 2017
Corrosion Behavior and Deterioration Mechanism of Ecological Concrete in Deep Water Environment
Hua Wei1, Kang Wang1, Chunhe Li2
1Materials & Structural Engineering Department, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institutes, Nanjing 210029, China.
Abstract:
To elucidate the corrosion behavior of cracked reinforced concrete under pressurized permeation at 0.3 MPa, three exposure conditions were established, namely a low-concentration chloride-sulfate solution, a high-concentration chloride-magnesium sulfate solution, and a high-concentration chloride-magnesium sulfate-carbonate composite solution, and cyclic permeation tests were conducted. Based on the chloride ion (Cl-) content distribution, permeation behavior, and steel half-cell potential measurements, together with XRD and SEM microstructural analyses, the results showed that Cl- transport was significantly enhanced. At a depth of 15 mm, the Cl- content increased from 0.011% under unpressurized conditions to 0.211% at 90 d and further to 0.322% at 365 d, while it remained close to zero at depths of 35 mm and below. Under the low-concentration condition, permeation ceased after about 3 months, and the half-cell potential recovered from -550 to -580 at 46 d and stabilized at -250 to -340 in the later stage, indicating a certain self-healing capacity of the cracks. Under the high-concentration and composite conditions, permeation persisted throughout the 12-month period, and the half-cell potential dropped to -800 to -900 at 34-40 d and remained at -580 to -840 in the later stage, indicating that the steel remained in an active corrosion state for a long time. XRD and SEM results further showed that corrosion products such as AFt increased, and the internal concrete structure gradually deteriorated.
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