CORROSION INITIATION AND PROPAGATION IN THE SERVICE LIFE OF REINFORCED CONCRETE IN CHLORIDE ENVIRONMENT

摘要

This article deals with the long term performance of two reinforced concrete elements (16 mm and 48 mm concrete cover for longitudinal reinforcements) kept in saline environment since 17 years under loading in flexure which correspond to the design loads of French standards with respect to the ultimate limit state or to the service limit state. The results reveal that the duration of the initiation phase of corrosion is not very different between the two types of elements in spite of the difference in thickness of the concrete cover. Several explanations can be brought to this result and in particular the effect of the level of stress and the effect of the steel-concrete interface quality. In addition, the analysis of the behavior during 17 years shows that the beams can still ensure their serviceability a long time after corrosion onset. Thus the duration of the propagation phase should be included in the models of prediction of the service life.