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Concrete Corrosion: Causes and Prevention (1 day) 

The course systematically and thoroughly covers the causes of corrosion in buildings and other concrete structures, and the practical prevention methods ranging from coatings to cathodic protection.

Course Objectives
Course Contents
Who Should Attend  
Course Lecturer 

Created in July 1995 last updated November 2000

Course Objectives

1. To understand WHY & HOW corrosion takes place in concrete.
2. To know HOW to control and prevent concrete corrosion.

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Course Content

The corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete structures such as buildings, car parks, concrete marine structures, road beds, bridge decks and bridge substructures is a world-wide problem and leads to cracking, staining, spalling from the surface and ultimately structural weakness. Repairs to badly deteriorated areas are costly and there is no guarantee that the problem has been solved as the conditions for continuing corrosion may have been built into the structure. This one day course thoroughly and systematically covers the causes and prevention of the corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete structures. Following is a tentative outline:

1. Terminology and Conventions
   • corrosion, pH, potential, reference electrode, potential-pH diagram, passivation, anode, cathode, cathodic protection, galvanizing, etc.
2. Why & How does steel corrode in concrete?
   • corrosion of steel in aqueous environment
   • the nature of concrete environment
   • corrosion of steel in concrete
   • actions from aggressive species chloride, carbon dioxide, sulphate, soft water action
   • potential difference
   • corrosion reactions
   • ionic flow
   • autocatalytic process
3. How to control and prevent concrete corrosion
   • concrete quality porosity, permeability, depth of cover, water/cement ratio, chloride content
   • patching practices
   • membranes and sealers
   • corrosion inhibitors
   • epoxy coating
   • galvanizing (zinc coating)
   • cathodic protection
4. Testing and monitoring techniques
   • potential measurement
   • corrosion rate determination

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WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This course has been structured in such a way that it is particularly suited for the architects, designers, technologists, engineers and QA/QC personnel who are concerned with corrosion of reinforcing steel in buildings and other concrete structures.

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