Method to determine electrochemical potential gradients without reinforcement connection in concrete structures

A suitable condition assessment of a structure is usually based on comprehensive non-destructive measurements to locate the relevant critical areas. Electrochemical potential mapping is an approved method to detect areas with a high risk of chloride induced corrosion in concrete structures. A novel approach has been developed to locate critical areas without a reinforcement connection by using three external electrodes. As result a vector is calculated which points directly to the critical area near the sensor position, comparable with a compass. This method allows an immediate identification of critical areas on site. In this paper the methodology is explained and measuring results are compared to the conventional method.