Steel reinforcement Corrosion in a Low Calcium Fly Ash Geopolymer Concrete

摘要

Geopolymer concrete (GPC) has significant potential as a more sustainable, low-embodied carbon alternative for ordinary Portland cement concrete (PCC). However; as a rather new engineering material, there are some concerns over the durability aspects of geopolymeric binders. In this study, performance of chloride contaminated reinforced GPC specimens manufactured using low calcium fly ash is investigated by long-term monitoring of corrosion parameters such as free corrosion potential and polarization resistance. It was found that low calcium fly ash GPC can perform as well as PCC during the propagation phase of corrosion; although, some conventional reference values of corrosion parameters which are indicative of severity of the steel corrosion in PCC are not suitable for GPC. Additionally, commonly used electrochemical test methods are successfully employed to assess the degree of reinforcement corrosion in geopolymeric binders within an acceptable level of accuracy.