Influence of sustained load on corrosion characteristics of reinforced concrete beams under galvanostatic accelerated corrosion

This study examines the effects of load levels on corrosion-expansion cracking and corrosion characteristics of steel bars in reinforced concrete (RC) beams and their causes. Based on the study of the influence of stirrups and cathode positions on the corrosion characteristics of RC beams, a reasonable stirrup arrangement and cathode position for the beams to be studied were determined, and 13 beams were designed and made according to the stirrup arrangement. Under the same environment, corrosion tests of the beams under four sustained load levels were conducted under galvanostatic accelerated corrosion. The results showed that the load had an important influence on the generation and development of longitudinal and transverse corrosion cracks and the corrosion characteristics of various steel bars. The variation of the resistance and distribution of the protective layer due to the different load effects is the essential reason for the difference in the corrosion characteristics. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.