No abstract

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the electrochemical corrosion rate of galvanized steel wires for bridge cables. Design/methodology/approach The electrochemical corrosion test and response surface analysis of galvanized steel wires were carried out, and the variety of polarization curves of galvanized steel wires under different corrosion parameters was discussed. The expression of corrosion rate of galvanized steel wires under the action of single and multi-factor coupling was established. Findings The polarization curves of galvanized steel wires under different Cl- concentrations, pH value and temperature were basically similar, but all show different degrees of deviation and some anodic polarization curves had inflection points. For example, when the Cl- concentration reached 3.5%, the corrosion rate of galvanized steel wire was four times that of pure water. Originality/value The influence relationship of single and multi-factor coupling on the corrosion rate of galvanized steel wires was as follows: RCl > RT * Cl > RT > RpH > RpH * T > RpH * Cl.

To study the corrosion behavior of galvanized steel wires under stress, the influence of stress level, pH value, Cl-concentration and the coupling effect on the corrosion rate of cable steel wire were discussed through stress corrosion test. The prediction formula of corrosion rate of steel wire was established based on response surface method. The constitutive model of steel wire was also put forward. The results showed that the effects of stress level, pH value and Cl-concentration on corrosion rate were pH > Cl-> σ. The stress corrosion increase the corrosion degree of steel wire by 4 times, the degradation ratio of yield and ultimate strength by 2 times, and the degradation rate of elongation and elastic modulus by 3 times. The relationship between the stress level, corrosion degree and the strength or elongation of steel wire was linear, but that of elastic modulus was nonlinear.