Lattice modeling of cover cracking due to reinforcement corrosion

Author(s): B. Šavija, M. Luković, E. Schlangen
Paper category: Proceedings
Book title: Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Concrete under Severe Conditions – Environment and Loading
Editor(s): Z.J. Li, W. Sun, C.W. Miao, K.Sakai, O.E. Gjørv, N.Banthia
ISBN: 978-2-35158-124-7
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-134-6
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2013
Pages: 235-247
Total Pages: 13
Language : English

Abstract: Corrosion of steel reinforcement is a serious problem for durability and serviceability of reinforced concrete infrastructures. Chloride ingress or carbonation can cause depassivation of the steel and trigger the corrosion process. As the reinforcing steel corrodes, it expands and exerts pressure on the surrounding concrete cover, causing tensile stresses in concrete. This eventually leads to cracking and spalling of the cover concrete, further exacerbating the durability problems of a structure and increasing the rate of its deterioration. This could further lead to structural problems for the whole structure, as the cross sectional area of the reinforcing steel rapidly decreases.
In order to study cracking mechanisms due to reinforcement corrosion, mechanics of the problem was implemented in a two-dimensional lattice model. Using a particle overlay approach, heterogeneous nature of concrete was taken into account in the mechanical analysis. Exerted expansion pressures needed for the analysis were calculated using the information from the available literature. These were then applied as forces in the model. The simplest case is the case of uniform corrosion, which occurs due to carbonation, chlorides added to the concrete mix, but also in accelerated corrosion (impressed current) testing. The proposed modeling approach was tested using several accelerated corrosion experiments from the literature, under the assumption of uniform corrosion. Simulation results were then compared to the experimental data. For these accelerated corrosion experiments, the model is in good agreement with the experimental results. Further work is focused on pitting corrosion, a case usually occurring under external chloride loading in practice.

Online publication : 2013
Publication type : full_text
Public price (Euros) : 0.00