Effect of moisture variation on oxygen consumption rate of corroding steel in chloride contaminated concrete

This paper is based on experimental investigations carried out on the effect of varying relative humidity on oxygen consumption rate of corroding reinforcement steel in concrete under impressed potential macro-cell cathodic reaction for which the previous research data is limited. The objective of this research is to investigate the qualitative as well as the quantitative relation between the oxygen consumption rate of corroding reinforcement carbon steel in chloride contaminated concrete and ambient relative humidity under continuous as well as cyclic exposure conditions. For this purpose, corrosion cells with locally separated anode and cathode steel reinforcement bars under four different environmental conditions (namely air dry, submerged, 95% relative humidity and alternate wetting–drying) have been tested under strict laboratory control. By analyzing the results of these tests, it was possible to understand the behavior of oxygen consumption rate of corroding steel reinforcement in chloride contaminated concrete under varying moisture environmental conditions.