Cathodic protection of steel from corrosion in reinforced concrete buildings using sacrificial surface anodes of zinc

Abstract

Corrosion of steel in reinforced cement concrete is one of the major factor for deterioration of RCC structures. The corrosion of steel leads to failure or needs demolition of structures. Cathodic protection technology is well proven for corrosion protection of steel and in 2020 this technology will complete its 200 years of existence. For RCC buildings cathodic protection technology is not common due to several reasons. The lack of awareness in public about the fact that maintenance is only cosmetic repair and it does not ensure the protection of steel from corrosion. The sacrificial anode CP system is well suited for buildings since the requirement of anode material will always be less in case of buildings. To make it popular a new system of SACP is developed and it is named as Sacrificial Surface Anode Cathodic Protection (SSACP) system. The device is designed as external, it is easy in installation, replacement and monitoring. It is reliable, economical and does not damage the aesthetic appearance of building. The present research is about onsite corrosion prevention of steel using Sacrificial Surface Anode. For evaluation of performance a number of SSA are installed in one of the multi-story buildings in Surat city about 18 km from sea shore. This includes the working of SSA which depends upon the resistivity and moisture content of concrete cover to reinforcement.