Avaliação da influência do pH e da força iônica da solução dos poros do concreto na resistência à corrosão da armadura

Abstract

Corrosion of steel is one of the major forms of deterioration of reinforced concrete structures. Partial replacement of cement Portland by high levels of pozzolanic additions result in decreased concentration of calcium hydroxide, leading to a reduction in the pH of the pore solution and influencing the formation of passive films on steel. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of pH and the ionic strength of the pore’s solution in the corrosion resistance of reinforced concrete made with partial replacement of cement with fly ash and silica fume, determining the chemical composition of the pore solution (in order to quantify the ionic strength and pH), and corrosion resistance measurement with the aid of electrochemical tests, at different ages. Six concrete mixtures were produced with various substitution concentrations, in the order to reduce the pH of the pore solution. Besides the reference (0%), it was prepared concretes with 25%, 50% and 75% of fly ash, 5% and 10% of silica fume. The chemical composition pore’s solution of each proportion was measured at ages of 4 hours, 3 days, 7 days and 91 days, and the values obtained for pH and ionic strength of these solutions was used to assist in interpreting the results obtained from the tests of corrosion potential, polarization resistance and electrical resistivity, also conducted over 91 days in reinforced concrete blocks with CA-50 steel. The final results are consistent with previous studies, showing the effect of pH on the formation of passivation films depends on the ionic strength value of the pore solution. The results show that, mainly in early ages, when the passivation films are being formed, the partial cement replacement by fly ash and silica fume improves the passivation steel performance, even with a slight decrease in pH, if accompanied the reducing the ionic strength of the solutions. This effect is explained by decrease in solubility of the oxides and hydroxides of maker’s passivation films, associated with decrease electrical conductivity of the solutions due the reduction of the ionic strength. Note that in this initial period (over the first seven days), the concrete resistivity remained approximately constant for different proportion, no exercising significant effects on improving corrosion resistance for additions mineral concrete. Thus, it is observed that it is possible to partially replace cement by fly ash or silica fume, without causing damage to passivation of steel, even with a slight reduction on the pH.