Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Experimental Study of Sulphate Attack on Steel Embedded in Reinforced Concrete

  • Original Contribution
  • Published:
Journal of The Institution of Engineers (India): Series A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Corrosion in reinforced concrete structure is a serious problem that leads to unexpected premature deterioration of reinforced concrete structure. One of the causes of the steel corrosion is due to ingress of sulphide ions at the surface of reinforcing bars in concrete. This study is an attempt to estimate corrosion effect of sulphuric acid solution through the parameters such as corrosion current density, corrosion rate and weight loss. This experimental study is carried out with the help of three-electrode electrochemical system. The study involves 12 mm ø and 8 mm ø steel bars embedded in cylindrical concrete specimen kept in sulphuric acid solution. Formation of a brown ring and cracks is observed near the bottom. The corrosion rate is found to be very high, when the specimens are immersed in concentrated sulphuric acid solution. The effect of diameter of bar to corrosion rate is observed to be negligible. Rusting is more in that portion of bar which is near the top; this may be due to its proximity to counter electrode and no provision of cover at this portion.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Nick Birbilis, Kate M. Nairn, Maria Forsyth, Transient response analysis of steel in concrete. Corros. Sci. 45, 1895–1902 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. M.T. Liang, R.J. Yang, Theoretical elucidation on the on-site measurements of corrosion rate of reinforcements. Constr. Build. Mater. 19, 175–180 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. J. Prasad, D.K. Jain, Factors influencing the sulphate resistance of cement concrete and mortar. Asian J. Civ. Eng. (Build. Hous.) 7(3), 259–268 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  4. M. Maslehuddin, I.M. Allam, G. Al Sulaimani, Al Mana, S.N. Abduljauward, Effect of rusting of reinforcing steel on its mechanical properties and bond with concrete. ACI Mater. J. 87(5), 367–373 (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Neville Adam, Chloride attack of reinforced concrete: an overview. Mater. Struct. 28, 63–70 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. C.A. Apostolopoulos, V.G. Papadakis, Consequences of steel corrosion on the ductility properties of reinforcement bar. Constr. Build. Mater. 22, 2316–2324 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. C.M. Hansson, A. Poursaee, Reinforcing steel passivation in mortar and pore solution. Cem. Concr. Res. 37, 1127–1133 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. S.H. Rizkalla, E.K. Attogbe, Response of concrete to sulfuric acid attack. Tech. Pap. ACI Mater. J. 85(6), 481–488 (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  9. M. Alexander, H. Beushausen, M. Otieno, Prediction of corrosion rate in RC structures—a critical review, in RILEM (2011), pp. 15–37

  10. N. Yuzer, Prediction of time to crack initiation in reinforced concrete exposed to chloride. Constr. Build. Mater. 22, 1100–1107 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. IS: 8112, Indian Standard Code of Practice Specification for Ordinary Portland Cement 43 Grade (Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi, 2013)

    Google Scholar 

  12. IS: 383, Indian Standard Code of Practice Specification for Coarse and Fine Aggregate for Concrete (Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi, 2016)

    Google Scholar 

  13. IS: 456, Indian Standard Code of Practice for Plain and Reinforced Concrete (Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi, 2000)

    Google Scholar 

  14. R. Corral Higuera, Sulphate attack and reinforcement corrosion in concrete with recycled concrete aggregates and supplementary cementing materials. Int. J. Electrochem. Sci. 6, 613–621 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  15. F.G. Mars, Corrosion Engineering, 3rd edn. (McGraw Hill Book Company, New York, 1987)

    Google Scholar 

  16. M. Moreno et al., Corrosion of reinforcing steel in simulated concrete pore solutions effect of carbonation and chloride content. Corros. Sci. 46, 2681–2699 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. M.A. Quarishi, D.K. Nayak, R. Kumar, V. Kumar, Corrosion of reinforced steel in concrete and its control: an overview. J. Steel Struct. Constr. 3(1), 1–6 (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  18. A. Geetha, P. Perumal, Effects of waterproofing admixtures on the flexural strength and corrosion resistance of concrete. J. Inst. Eng. India Ser. A 93(1), 73–78 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Song Ha-Won, V. Saraswathy, Corrosion monitoring of reinforced concrete structure—a review. Int. J. Electrochem. Sci. 2, 1–28 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  20. L. Bertolini, M. Carsana, M. Gastaldi, F. Lollini, E. Redaelli, Corrosion of steel in concrete and its prevention in aggressive chloride bearing environments, in 5th International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures (2016), pp. 13–25

  21. M. Macias, L.M. Escudero, The effect of floride on corrosion of reinforcing steel in alkaline solutions. Corros. Sci. 36(12), 2169–2180 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. B. Pradhan, B. Bhattacharjee, Performance evaluation in rebar in chloride contaminated concrete by corrosion rate. Constr. Build. Mater. 23, 2346–2356 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. J.S. Jaffer, C.M. Hansson, The influence of crack on chloride-induced corrosion of steel in ordinary Portland cement and high performance concretes subjected to different loading conditions. Corros. Sci. 50, 3343–3353 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. ASTM G 1-03, Standard Practice for Preparing, Cleaning, and Evaluating Corrosion Test Specimens (ASTM International, West Conshohocken, 2003)

    Google Scholar 

  25. IS: 1786, Indian Standard Code of Practice Specification for High Strength Deformed Steel Bars and Wires for Concrete (Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi, 2008)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. RGPV, Bhopal, 462033, India

    Ashutosh Shanker Trivedi

  2. UIT, RGPV, Bhopal, India

    Sudhir Singh Bhadauria

  3. MITS, Gwalior, India

    Sarvesh Kumar Jain

Authors
  1. Ashutosh Shanker Trivedi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sudhir Singh Bhadauria
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sarvesh Kumar Jain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ashutosh Shanker Trivedi.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Trivedi, A.S., Bhadauria, S.S. & Jain, S.K. Experimental Study of Sulphate Attack on Steel Embedded in Reinforced Concrete. J. Inst. Eng. India Ser. A 100, 387–394 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40030-018-00358-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40030-018-00358-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation