Research Symposium

BIO

Hi, I am Cosette Bosshardt and I am a freshman at Florida State University studying Engineering. My goals for my education would be to expand my opportunities and to gain experience working on different projects with different types of people.

Influence of Crack Density on the Corrosion Resistance of UHPC

Abstract

Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is different from traditional, normal strength concrete in that it provides higher durability and strength.. Although UHPC is typically more durable than normal strength concrete, structural components built in UHPC may be deteriorated during longer-term service, resulting in occurrence of cracks. Cracks could act as pathways for harmful compounds to penetrate UHPC and cause further damage for the embedded steel reinforcements.
Previous research has demonstrated that chloride is the leading compound that causes pitting corrosion for reinforcement concrete structures exposed to coastal and marine environment. However, past studies regarding the effect of crack density on corrosion rate of embedded steel rebar are still mixed. After initiation of corrosion by chloride, corrosion rate is not only related to the electrical resistivity between cracked regions, but also depends on the cathodic reaction during corrosion propagation, influenced by the oxygen supply.
Thus, non-destructive electrochemical methods including open circuit potential (OCP)test, linear polarization resistance (LRP) test, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are adopted to measure the corrosion resistance of cracked UHPC and normal strength concrete with different crack densities.

Keywords: Corrosion, concrete, engineering