Near-surface mounted carbon fibre rod used for combined strengthening and cathodic protection for reinforced concrete structures

The dual function of a carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) rod working as the near-surface mounted (NSM) strengthening and impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) anode for corroded reinforced concrete structures has been proposed and researched. In this paper, a CFRP rod was used for both flexural strengthening of pre-corroded reinforced concrete beams and in a dual functional capacity as an ICCP anode. After a period of ICCP operation at high current density, the beams were subjected to flexural testing to determine the load–deflection relationships. The potential decays of the steel met recognised ICCP standards, and the CFRP remained effective in strengthening the corroded reinforced concrete beams. The bonding at the CFRP rod anode and concrete interface was improved by using a combination of geopolymer and epoxy resin; therefore, the ultimate strength of a dual function CFRP rod with combination of bonding medium (geopolymer and epoxy) increased significantly.