Relationship between concrete resistivity and corrosion rate – A literature review

The process of reinforcement corrosion in concrete is partially controlled by the transport of ions through the concrete microstructure. Ions are charged and the ability of a material to withstand transfer of charge is dependent upon the electrical resistivity. Thus, a connection could be expected between the corrosion process of steel embedded in concrete and the electrical resistivity of concrete. This paper reviews research concerning the relationship between corrosion rate and concrete resistivity. Overall, there exists an inverse proportional correlation between the parameters. However, the dependency varies between studies and one single relationship cannot be established between corrosion rate and resistivity. To address the variation, the article reviews and evaluates the influence of factors including the experimental setup, the concrete mix design and the cause of corrosion.