Time-To-Corrosion of Reinforcing Steel in Concrete Slabs. Volume 5. Calcium Nitrite Admixture or Epoxy-Coated Reinforcing Bars as Corrosion Protection Systems

摘要

Thirty-one relatively large reinforced concrete slabs were fabricated in 1980 using either non-specification epoxy-coated reinforcing steel or calcium nitrite admixture with black (uncoated) steel. Their performance is compared with uncoated steel in concrete without admixtures. The slabs were placed in two lifts: the bottom lift consisted of a bottom mat of reinforcing steel in chloride-free concrete; and a top lift consisting of the top-mat rebars in concrete contaminated with various quantities of sodium chloride. All the electrical connections between the reinforcing mats were made exterior to the slabs so that the corrosion current flow could be monitored. A worst case type of research design was used by specifying poor quality concrete, nonspecification epoxy-coated rebars, and good electrical coupling between the rebar mats. After curing, the slabs were mounted above ground and exposed to the environment of the Washington, D.C. location. They were periodically subjected to additional chloride exposure while being monitored for about 1 year to determine the corrosion rate. Selected slabs were then demolished to confirm the findings of the nondestructive testing.