EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL MODELLING OF CORROSION IN REINFORCED CONCRETE

The rate of localized corrosion of steel in concrete depends on various concrete and environmental parameters. The concrete humidity, the temperature and the ratio of anode to cathode areas are of primary importance. This paper presents the numerical modelling of corrosion in reinforced concrete performed by means of commercial software for boundary element method analysis. With the numerical simulation, it is possible to calculate the potential and the current density in every point of the electrolyte boundary. The results of the simulation can be used to study the influence of different parameters on the corrosion rate by varying the input data or the geometry of the system. It is also possible to predict corrosion rates. The influences of the environment, as well as changes in temperature and humidity can be taken into consideration by selecting the appropriate conductivity values and polarisation curves.

The measurement of polarisation curves in mortar and concrete and the electrolytic resistivity as the basic input data for the numerical simulation is described. The results of the numerical simulation are compared with experimental data measured within a large reinforced concrete element.

• INTRODUCTION

• EXPERIMENTAL

• RESULTS

• NUMERICAL SIMULATION

• CONCLUSIONS

• REFERENCES