Application of Resistometric Sensors in Investigation of Zinc Corrosion in Simulated Concrete Environments

The aim of this paper was to investigate the corrosion behaviour of zinc in simulated concrete solutions using resistometric sensors and to describe the kinetics of zinc corrosion. The sensors provide corrosion data information in real time; thus, it is a useful technique for observing zinc corrosion behaviour in concrete environments. The replacement of carbon steel rebar by galvanized steel in concrete is a discussable topic with contradictory results in the literature presented in the introduction. In our case, zinc resistometric sensors were used, and they showed results in good agreement with other techniques, such as corrosion potential monitoring and EIS measurements. According to our results, zinc is able to passivate in a simulated concrete solution and even in a simulated carbonated solution. The corrosion rate was reduced by almost 40 times, during the active to passive transition. The zinc remains passive even in simulated concrete solutions contaminated with low levels of chloride ions up to 0.9 wt.%.

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