Comparative validation of corrosion simulation accuracy in patch-repaired reinforced concrete structures

ABSTRACT

The evaluation of patch-repaired concrete’s performance, along with the development of a practical design guideline, necessitates considering multiple factors such as the quality of the existing concrete and the types of repair concrete used. The numerical model presented herein offers insights into the distribution of corrosion potential and corrosion rate in reinforcing steel, thereby assisting in monitoring the performance of the patch-repaired system. This model is constructed based on an analysis of the polarization behavior of steel across different concrete mixtures, with its validity confirmed through comparison with empirical results. Particularly, the model accounts for imperfect bonding between the patch and the substrate, a critical factor in repair effectiveness. The numerical outputs demonstrate consistent potential profiles, with minimal differences observed between empirical and simulated results. The incorporation of additional layers at the interface can significantly impact potential measurements, highlighting the discontinuity between the patch and substrate. Visual inspections further validate the numerical predictions by evidencing the corrosion rate distribution on steel surfaces under various patch repair scenarios.

KEYWORDS:

• Patch-repaired concrete
• corrosion potential
• reinforcing steel polarization
• fly ash
• imperfect bonding
• numerical simulation

Acknowledgments

The research described in this paper was financially supported by Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City with grant number 23.1XD01.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the submitted article.