Performance of Carbon Steel and Galvanized Steel in Reinforced Concrete Structures after Accelerated Carbonation

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to study the effects of carbonation on the electrochemical properties of carbon steel and galvanized steel, immersed into cubic prisms of concrete elaborated with Portland pozzolanic cement. Reinforced concrete specimens using these two metallic materials were exposed in a carbonation chamber. In a short time period changes in carbon steel and galvanized steel potentials and in concrete resistivity indicated an increase in carbonation of steel rebar. During the test period it was observed that zinc, instead to be in active conditions, attains lower corrosion rate than carbon steel. This behavior allows to assume the use of galvanized steel as an option to enlarge useful life of reinforced concrete structures in carbonated environments.