The Effect of Steel Reinforcement Diameter on the Behavior of Concrete Beams with Corrosion
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Beam Properties
2.2. Initial Beam Testing
2.3. Sustained Load System
2.4. Accelerated Corrosion Technique
2.5. Measurement of Electrochemical Parameters, Concrete Resistivity, and Cracking Patterns
2.6. Testing of Beams Until Failure
2.7. Characterization of Longitudinal Steel Reinforcement
3. Results and Discussions
3.1. Initial Structural Parameters
3.2. Electrochemical Parameters and Concrete Resistivity
3.3. Structural Behavior of Beams with Corrosion
3.4. Cross-Sectional Area Loss of Longitudinal Steel Reinforcement
3.5. Relationship Between Electrochemical, Physical, and Structural Parameters
4. Conclusions and Recommendations
- The initial structural behavior of beams without corrosion and with corrosion was similar. The cracking pattern of all the beams was characterized by the formation of vertical cracks in the central length and slightly diagonal cracks between the loading points and supports. The initial stiffness and cracking load were similar for beams with longitudinal tension steel reinforcement (LTR) of 10 mm and 13 mm. This was because the uncracked moment of inertia of the beams was similar.
- For a load associated with 60% of the yielding stress (0.6 fy) in the LTR, the maximum flexural crack widths and lengths were greater for beams with an LTR of 10 mm compared to beams with an LTR of 13 mm. This was because the depth of the neutral axis of the beams with an LTR of 10 mm was smaller compared to that of beams with an LTR of 13 mm. The maximum crack widths and lengths were greater nearer to the loading points. This was because in this zone, axial stresses related to flexural and shear forces developed together. Therefore, the tension stresses, due to the combination of axial and shear stresses, were larger than those developed along the center of beams.
- Before the application of the wetting and drying cycles, the electrochemical parameters were similar regardless of the amount of the LTR of beams. These parameters indicated a low probability of corrosion, a low level of corrosion, and the considerable interconnected porosity of the concrete. After the application of the wetting and drying cycles and before the testing until failure of the beams, the electrochemical parameters of the beams with an LTR of 10 mm and 13 mm indicated similar levels of corrosion. These parameters suggested a probability of severe corrosion, a high level of corrosion, and the excessive interconnected porosity of the concrete.
- Cracks associated with corrosion were observed parallel to the length of the LTR of beams. The largest corrosion cracks were observed nearer to the loading points. The number of cracks was greater in beam 10-WD compared to beam 13-WD. This was associated with the increment in radial tensile stress associated with the increment in the volume of the corrosion product. This increment was greater for the LTR of beam 10-WD. Corrosion cracks matched with maximum crack widths associated with sustained loads. Corrosion crack widths indicated a significant increment in the radial tensile stresses in concrete due to the increment in the volume of the corrosion product in the LTR.
- The yielding load of beam 10-WD was 6% lower than that of beam 10-N. Meanwhile, the yielding load of beam 13-WD was similar compared to that of beam 13-N. The maximum load of beam 10-WD was 12% lower than that of beam 10-N. On the other hand, the maximum load of beam 13-WD was 2.5% lower than that of beam 13-N. The failure of beam 10-WD was associated with the fracture of the LTR. This was because beam 10-WD had a greater cross-sectional area loss of the LTR compared to that of beam 13-WD. A greater influence in the load capacity of beams with a cross-sectional loss was observed for beam 10-WD. This was because in this case, the failure mechanism changed from the crushing of concrete to the fracture of the LTR.
- A greater number of pits were observed in the LTR of beam 10-WD compared to that of beam 13-WD. The critical pitting of bar segments was located between the loading points and supports of beams. The percentage of cross-sectional area loss due to the pitting of beam 10-WD was between 0.54% and 18.47%. In the case of beam 13-WD, the cross-sectional area loss was 6.52%.
- The fracture of the LTR of beam 10-WD was associated with the maximum cross-sectional area loss observed. The largest corrosion crack widths were also observed in this zone. This was because the greatest cross-sectional area loss of steel reinforcement was associated with a greater amount of corrosion product. The increment in the volume of corrosion product increased the radial stress in concrete and induced cracking. As the volume of the corrosion product increased, the crack widths also increased. This indicates that the location of maximum crack widths can be associated with the location of the maximum cross-sectional area loss of steel reinforcement.
- The electrochemical parameters provided relevant information in the first stages of the activation of the corrosion process. However, no clear correlation was found between these parameters and the cross-sectional losses of the LTR and the strength losses of beams.
- More studies where the electrochemical parameters, corrosion cracking, cross-sectional area losses of the LTR, and strength losses of beams with corrosion are evaluated together are required. Variables such as the bar diameter, free cover concrete of the LTR, and properties of concrete, among others, must be considered.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Portland Cement (kg) | Water (kg) | Coarse Aggregate (kg) | Fine Aggregate (kg) | fc (MPa) |
---|---|---|---|---|
391.30 | 231.90 | 758.91 | 671.99 | 26.96 |
Beam | (kN) | (mm) | (kN/mm) |
---|---|---|---|
10-N | 7.01 | 1.10 | 6.40 |
10-WD | 7.49 | 1.00 | 7.47 |
Average | 7.25 | 1.05 | 6.93 |
13-N | 7.40 | 0.93 | 7.95 |
13-WD | 7.78 | 1.39 | 5.60 |
Average | 7.59 | 1.16 | 6.78 |
Beam | (kN) | (mm) | (kN) | (mm) | (kN/mm) | (kN/mm) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10-N | 28.17 | 16.07 | 38.40 | 115.18 | 1.75 | 0.33 |
10-WD | 26.41 | 12.85 | 33.86 | 129.18 | 2.06 | 0.26 |
13-N | 45.62 | 13.92 | 58.66 | 74.27 | 3.28 | 0.79 |
13-WD | 46.07 | 12.68 | 57.25 | 56.24 | 3.63 | 1.02 |
Beam | Bar | Number of Pits | Type of Critical Pit | SL (mm2) | %SL | CW |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10-WD | LS1-10-2 | 6 | Flat | 6.01 | 8.58 | 0.9 |
LS1-10-5 | 2 | Triangular | 2.14 | 3.06 | 0.8 | |
LS2-10-1 | 3 | Triangular | 1.13 | 1.61 | --- | |
LS2-10-2 | 8 | Triangular | 1.90 | 2.71 | 0.5 | |
LS2-10-5 | 7 | Triangular | 0.37 | 0.54 | 0.4 | |
F-10 | 4 | Flat | 12.95 | 18.47 | 1.1 | |
13-WD | LS2-13-2 | 1 | Triangular | 6.88 | 6.52 | 0.2 |
Parameters | 10-N | 10-WD | 13-N | 13-WD |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ecorr (mV) | −87.10 | −517.80 | −106.23 | −501.40 |
icorr (µA/cm2) | 0.11 | 2.28 | 0.09 | 1.95 |
Res (kΩ × cm) | 18.90 | 7.45 | 22.70 | 9.24 |
WS (mm) | 0.05–0.30 | 0.08–0.20 | 0.05–0.18 | 0.08–0.15 |
LS (mm) | 75–221 | 49–228 | 92–206 | 42–214 |
NP | - | 30 | - | 1 |
CW (mm) | - | 1.10 | - | 0.80 |
%SL | - | 18.47 | - | 6.52 |
TP | - | Flat | - | Triangular |
(kN) | 28.17 | 26.41 | 45.62 | 46.07 |
(kN) | 16.07 | 12.85 | 13.92 | 12.68 |
TF | Crushing of concrete | Fracture of LTR | Crushing of concrete | Crushing of concrete |
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Moreno-Herrera, J.; Vega-Juarez, N.; Varela-Rivera, J.; Fernandez-Baqueiro, L.; Castro-Borges, P. The Effect of Steel Reinforcement Diameter on the Behavior of Concrete Beams with Corrosion. Buildings 2025, 15, 266. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15020266
Moreno-Herrera J, Vega-Juarez N, Varela-Rivera J, Fernandez-Baqueiro L, Castro-Borges P. The Effect of Steel Reinforcement Diameter on the Behavior of Concrete Beams with Corrosion. Buildings. 2025; 15(2):266. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15020266
Chicago/Turabian StyleMoreno-Herrera, Joel, Néstor Vega-Juarez, Jorge Varela-Rivera, Luis Fernandez-Baqueiro, and Pedro Castro-Borges. 2025. "The Effect of Steel Reinforcement Diameter on the Behavior of Concrete Beams with Corrosion" Buildings 15, no. 2: 266. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15020266
APA StyleMoreno-Herrera, J., Vega-Juarez, N., Varela-Rivera, J., Fernandez-Baqueiro, L., & Castro-Borges, P. (2025). The Effect of Steel Reinforcement Diameter on the Behavior of Concrete Beams with Corrosion. Buildings, 15(2), 266. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15020266