Effect of Adding Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR) on Corrosion Resistance for Reinforced Concrete Columns

Abstract

Corrosion in steel bars has the biggest effect on the concrete strength as well as its durability. Problems, such as increasing the crack widths, deflections, increasing stresses and decreasing concrete strength, are some subsequences of steel corrosion. Therefore, preventing these undesirable consequences, needs to address by researchers. Some additive materials which can be used in concrete might be the most effective cheap solution. In this research, Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) was utilized in the concrete mixture to reduce water permeability in concrete. In order to test the effect of SBR on steel corrosion in structural members, seven reinforced concrete columns of circular cross section were casted with different contents of SBR, from one percent to six percent of water content. Using accelerated corrosion cells, major tests were done after twenty days.  Results show that SBR improved the compressive strength of the concrete up to thirty – one percent with using one percent of SBR. Moreover, the compression strength of the reinforced concrete columns increased about thirty – two percent with using six percent of SBR. Not only the concrete strength improved with adding SBR, but also the steel corrosion resistance increased and steel weight losing decreased.