Numerical Simulation Method for Predicting Chloride Concentration Distributing around Reinforcement in Concrete

Abstract

The reinforcement in concrete alters the pathway for chloride transporting and in turn causes the chloride concentration to accumulate faster near the reinforcement closest to the exposed surface. A mass conservation matrix equation under the non-stable diffusion based on the Fick’s second law was derived. Hereby, a numerical simulation method for predicting chloride concentration in concrete was established utilizing the compiled module based on FEA. The validity of the method was verified by the comparison with the analytical results. The proposed method has a wider applicability for predicting the service life of RC structures. And it can be applied flexibly to any complicated section shape of RC members with multi-boundary attacked by chloride and the reinforcement considered simultaneously.

Chloride diffusion analysis of reinforced concrete beam enhanced with externally bonded fibre reinforced polymer considering the presence of rebars and stirrups

“…Oh and Jang [10] found that the corrosion initiation time dropped by 30~40% after the addition of rebar, an evidence to the chloride accumulation at the apex of rebar. Kranc [11] and Wang [12] argued that the effect of rebar is nonnegligible in the calculation of chloride ion distribution in RC concrete. Comparing the results of a 1D model and a 2D model, Yu [6][7]13] concluded that the rebar with a big size, a thin cover and a flat front face can accelerate chloride accumualtion and reduce the initiation time.…”