Flexural strength of concrete beams with corroding reinforcement

The paper presents the results of an experimental study on 111 under-reinforced concrete beams to determine their residual flexural capacity after undergoing different degrees of reinforcement corrosion. Corrosion was induced in the laboratory by an accelerated corrosion technique using two sources of external power supply. The beams were precured for different periods of up to I year before accelerated corrosion was induced in the reinforcement. Different degrees of reinforcing bar corrosion were induced in increments, ranging from 1.25 to 10 percent at corrosion rates off, 2, 3, and 4 mA/cm(2). The beams were reinforced with two longitudinal bars. Shear reinforcement was provided by external means using steel collars. The results show marked reductions in flexural strength due to reinforcement corrosion, which is caused primarily by the breakdown of bond at the steel/concrete interface.