THE CORROSION KINETICS AND MECHANISM OF HOT DIP GALVANIZED REBARS IN ADDITIVATED CONCRETE

Abstract

The reinforced concrete is one of the most frequently used composite materials. The corrosion of the rebar is one of the most important factors that have an influence on the life and exploitation costs of reinforced concrete structures. Hot dip galvanizing the rebar is an efficient but still controversial corrosion protection method. The paper presents the researches regarding the corrosion resistance of hot dip galvanized compared to unprotected rebars. The corrosion resistance was studied by electrochemical techniques (chronoamperometry, linear polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy EIS). Also, the influence of cement type and additive used to prepare the concrete on the kinetic parameters and mechanism of the phenomenon are presented. The experimental results showed that the corrosion resistance is higher for hot dip galvanized rebars than for unprotected ones.