A Comprehensive Numerical Study of Polarization Tests Applied to Corrosion Systems in Reinforced Concrete

October 26 2014

SIMCO Presents "A Comprehensive Numerical Study of Polarization Tests Applied to Corrosion Systems in Reinforced Concrete at ACI 2014 Fall Convention

Mr. Yannick Protière, Jr. Eng., M.S.c. and Project Manager for SIMCO presented this numerical study at the ACI 2014 Fall Convention that took place in Washington D.C.

Here is a sneak peak of the presentation topic:

The non-destructive evaluation of steel corrosion in reinforced concrete is commonly carried out using linear polarization resistance (LPR) measurements. The method is used to assess the rate of corrosion, and thus provide information on the long-term durability of structures. However, the analysis of LPR results is complicated by the non-uniform nature of corrosion on the surface of rebar. Small anodic sites are surrounded by large galvanic areas, introducing an important geometrical aspect to the measurement analysis.

In order to better understand the behavior of the polarized concrete/steel system, a series of numerical simulations was performed. The modeling was based on simulating a conductive porous material with embedded active (anodic) and passive (cathodic) surfaces located on the surface of rebars. The simulation results provided insight on the distribution of corrosion current inside the material when it is polarized and emphasize the influence of the material conductivity and anodic site location. The results are discussed and compared to commonly accepted hypotheses such as uniform corrosion distribution.

Contact us if you wish to learn more about our numerical study.

info@simcotechnologies.com