About concrete and reinforced concrete corrosion

Abstract This review article provides general information about reinforced concrete corrosion and types of corrosion. The most dangerous consequence of corrosion processes in reinforced concrete is a decrease in the load-bearing capacity of the structure. Corrosion of reinforcing steel is one of the most common damages to reinforced concrete structures. The most dangerous type of rebar corrosion is chloride corrosion, since at a certain concentration of chlorides, the concrete immediately loses its protective properties in relation to the rebar, the corrosion develops locally and deep into the rod, leading to significant losses of its cross-section, often without visible damage to the concrete surface. Types of corrosion: physical corrosion, chemical corrosion, leaching corrosion, magnesian corrosion, carbon dioxide corrosion, sulphate corrosion, hydrogen sulfide corrosion, biological corrosion, electrochemical and electroosmotic corrosion, the destruction of cement stone. The article provides an overview of the mechanism of reinforcement corrosion, its initiation, progress and factors that expedite the process of reinforcement corrosion. Once the reinforcement corrosion is initiated, it shortens the service life of the structures by cracks initiation, propagation and subsequently spalling of the cover concrete due to expansion of corrosion steel. Corrosion of the embedded reinforcing steel is the most frequent cause for degradation.