DefinePK

Abstract

This paper deals with the influence of the steel-concrete interface quality and preexisting oxides layer on reinforcement corrosion in passive state. In passive state, steel corrosion rate in concrete is considered null for conventional civil engineering structures due to the relatively short design service life time. On the contrary, for the nuclear waste facilities, due to a very long design life time, this low corrosion rate can become a risk. Previous studies, dealing with chloride induced steel corrosion in concrete, have clearly shown that the quality of the steel-concrete interface is a predominant factor for corrosion propagation. The purpose of this work is to study the influence of steel-concrete interface defaults and preexisting oxides layer on steel passivity and the consequences on the corrosion rate. Electrochemical methods and destructive surface analysis techniques were used to assess the corrosion rate of the embedded steel bars. Results confirm that the quality of the steel-concrete interface and the preexisting oxides layer affect the steel corrosion rate in passive state.