Modelling of reinforced concrete element damage as a result of reinforcement corrosion

This paper presents the application of the transient layer growth model for describing concrete damage caused by the reinforcement corrosion. The computer model was developed which provided the description of the degradation process of a cover caused by chloride diffusion, including the impact of moisture and temperature and subsequent reinforcement corrosion leading to cover cracking as a result of the increased volume of corrosion products. The evolution of corrosion current density over time was assumed in the form of the empirical function [1]. In the mechanical analysis of that problem, concrete was described using the Drucker-Pager model, and the progress of chloride diffusion, moisture and heat were determined from thermomechanical equations. The computer calculations were performed using FEM and FVM techniques.