Investigations have been conducted during the last three decades regarding chloride penetration and prediction of corrosion initiation. However, few investigations have dealt with corrosion propagation and/or residual life predictions, which are also needed for durability forecasting. Therefore, the aim of this investigation is to discuss, based on experimental information from previous investigations, the possibility of linking the degree of degradation (from a load-capacity reduction point of view) to the surface distress (for example, crack width opening) of a corroding reinforced concrete element in a marine environment. An empirical relationship between the residual load capacity of a reinforced-concrete element and the degree of reinforcement radius loss by corrosion was estimated, and a second empirical relationship between the surface crack width and the reinforcement radius loss was established based on available experimental data. Finally, data between the average corrosion penetration and the m...

This work presents an experimental investigation that correlates the stiffness changes of reinforced concrete beams with the amount of steel cross section loss and concrete cover-cracking morphology due to localized corrosion of the embedded steel. Ten concrete beams (100 by 150 by 1,500 mm) with the central portion contaminated by chlorides placed during mixing of the concrete were used in this investigation. In addition, two beams without chloride contamination were used as controls. Corrosion was further accelerated in the chloride-contaminated beams by impressing an anodic current to the single no. 3 steel reinforcement bar (10 mm diameter). During corrosion acceleration, the beams were tested under flexure by a cyclic loading-unloading procedure. The changes on the stiffness (slope of the force-displacement diagram) and crack morphology of the concrete cover were recorded periodically while the specimens were corroded. The results obtained showed a decrease in the flexure stiffness as much as 32% for a 14% reduction in the rebar radius.