Chloride ingress into concrete under different conditions of temperature and marine zones

Abstract

Steel reinforcement corrosion due to chloride penetration into concrete is one of the main causes of the degradation of marine structures and has been the subject of much research. Among the various factors that influence chloride penetration into concrete are environmental factors such as temperature and exposure conditions. In this context, the present study evaluated chloride penetration for three different exposure conditions (atmospheric, tidal variation and submerged) at temperatures of 15°C, 20°C, 25°C and 30°C over 18 months; samples were collected every 6 months, at depths of 1–5 mm. The environmental conditions were simulated in the laboratory. The results showed a higher concentration of chlorides in the submerged specimens. Moreover, the chloride concentration increased more intensively from 6 to 12 months and temperature was more influential above 20°C. The temperature effects were also found to be higher at advanced ages.