Comportamiento del acero precorroído en solución saturada de Ca(OH)2 y en mortero de cemento. Posibilidades de rehabilitación

Abstract

The present study compared the response of rust-free and corroded steel electrodes in Ca(OH)2-saturated solutions and in cement mortar, essentially defined in terms of polarization resistance as measured with gravimetric, metallographic and electrochemical methods. Answers were sought for the following questions, which persist despite the use of reinforced concrete (RC) in building for over a century: At what corrosion rate is RC durability seriously compromised? Does restoration of the initial conditions in properly manufactured concrete guarantee repassivation of corroded steel? Does the use of inhibitors enhance repassivation? Does the nature of the corrosion products have any significant effect on the response of corroded steel reinforcement? The results obtained in indicated that the effectiveness of preventive methods is much more closely related to the degree of existing corrosion than to the nature of the corrosion products.