Durability Aspects of Chloride-Affected Cracked Concrete Structures Reinforced with 1.4003 Rebars

Abstract

The protection of reinforced concrete components exposed to chlorides is often ensured by coating systems, which are usually associated with high maintenance costs over the service life. A possible alternative is the use of high-alloy, stainless steel reinforcement. Through smart selection in areas subject to particularly high stresses and the possibility of using mixed reinforcement with black steel, this type of reinforcement can also be used for economical construction. In many areas, it is sufficient to use significantly cheaper chromium steel rebars instead of very expensive, highly corrosion-resistant austenitic chromium-nickel steels. An industrial research project was carried out at Munich University of Applied Sciences in which the resistance of a chromium steel reinforcement with material number 1.4003 in chloride-exposed separation cracks of RC-specimens was investigated. The results obtained formed the basis for the development of design variants for underground parking garages. Structural tests on a large number of existing structures show how a long service life can be achieved with such reinforcement even under high chloride loads.