Effects of electrodeposition in concrete mediated by electric currents of variable polarity

Abstract

Aging concrete structures require rehabilitation to counteract deterioration due to environmental and anthropogenic actions. Therefore, it is paramount to develop durable and sustainable treatments to restore engineering properties of concrete that have degraded over time. Electrodeposition is an electrochemical phenomenon that underpins an emerging class of treatments with unique potential to rehabilitate concrete structures. However, the effects of electrodeposition on concrete are not completely understood. Through an experimental laboratory testing campaign, this paper addresses the unchartered effects of low-voltage electric currents with variable polarity (i.e., fixed and periodically reversed) on the structure and properties of concrete. The study reveals that electric currents with a periodically reversed polarity have superior effects on the structure and properties of concrete compared to currents with a fixed polarity because they yield more uniform precipitations of electrodeposits within and around treated materials. These effects include a denser structure, increased mass, minimal pH changes, enhanced strength, and reduced permeability.