The corrosion by chlorides is considered by a number of researchers the most dangerous pathological manifestation attacking concrete reinforcements. The assessment of the attacks to the structure by sodium chloride is usually done in the laboratory, takes too long and costs too much. The.main reason for this work is to assess the presence of free chlorides in Portland cement concrete and mortar
through the silver nitrate aspersion method, which is justified by the fact that Our objective is to evaluate the applicability of the silver nitrate aspersion method in loco, in Portland-cement-based materials as indicators capable of showing the presence or not of contamination by chlorides, avoiding the immediate need for lab tests. So as to give credibility to the test for presence of free chlorides in the samples, these were checked by means of electrochemical tests in parallel with the silver nitrate
aspersion. The experimental results of these tests showed that the applicability of the silver nitrate aspersion method seems to be of great relevance in the technical
environment, as it is a qualitative method, easily applicable, inexpensive and capable of providing quick information so that professionals can safely diagnose the levels of chloride corrosion in the structures
