Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to compare the effect of rust inhibitors and surface strengthening materials on the service life of RC structures in tropical marine environments and ultimately to provide basis and recommendations for the durability design of reinforced concrete (RC) structures.
Design/methodology/approach
Slag concrete specimens mixed with four kinds of rust inhibitors and coated with four kinds of surface strengthening materials were corroded by seawater exposure for 365 days, and the key parameters of chloride ion diffusion were obtained by testing. Then a new service life prediction model, based on the modified model for chloride ion diffusion and reliability theory, was applied to analyze the effect of rust inhibitors and surface strengthening materials on the service life of RC structures in tropical marine environments.
Findings
Rust inhibitors and surface strengthening materials can effectively extend the service life of RC structures through different effects on chloride ion diffusion behavior. The effects of rust inhibitors and surface strengthening materials on the service life extension of RC structures adhered to the following trend: silane material > cement-based permeable crystalline waterproof material > hydrophobic plug compound > spray polyurea elastomer > water-based permeable crystalline waterproof material > calcium nitrite > preservative > amino-alcohol composite.
Originality/value
Using a new method for predicting the service life of RC structures, the attenuation law of the service life of RC structures under the action of rust inhibitors and surface strengthening materials in tropical marine environments is obtained.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.