Defending Concrete Durability – the Importance of an Impermeable Concrete Cover

February 18, 2022

Chloride penetration of the concrete cover and initiation of rebar corrosion

Designing a concrete structure that is able to maintain its serviceability and performs according to specifications in a certain environment for the duration of its service life means choosing suitable materials, an appropriate design and detailing, as well as quality control procedures for the production and placement of the concrete.

Concrete needs protection from many threats of deterioration associated with chloride ion ingress, carbonation, chemical attacks, freeze-thaw damage, aggregate and alkali-silica reactions, and others. All of these contribute to the deterioration of a structure by increasing the permeability of concrete and causing corrosion of the reinforcement steel, ultimately resulting in a shorter service life.

Because it is widely accepted that deterioration of the concrete begins once corrosion of the reinforcement is initiated, protection of the steel reinforcement is of significant importance. In this context the concrete cover – as the only barrier between the reinforcement and the concrete surface – plays a critical role. Unfortunately, higher proneness to cracking and higher porosity (due to poor or no curing) makes the concrete cover the weakest link of the concrete structure.

Water-borne contaminants such as chlorides migrate through the pores, capillaries and microcracks of the concrete cover and towards the reinforcement. The thinner and more permeable the concrete cover is, the faster chlorides can reach the reinforcement and induce corrosion. A more permeable concrete is therefore directly associated with a shorter service life.

Read the full article and see how Penetron supports the protection of the concrete cover to ensure concrete durability and a longer service life, click here.

#penetron #waterproofing #concreterepair

Company: Penetron International

Source: https://www.penetron.com/newsletter/dec21/images/the-significance-of-the-concrete-cover.pdf

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