Title:
Characterization of Transport Properties for Service Life Prediction
Author(s):
Elizabeth Wagner and Joshua White
Publication:
Web Session
Volume:
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
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DOI:
Date:
10/29/2020
Abstract:
The service life of reinforced concrete structures often depends upon the transport properties of the concrete. Transport properties can be characterized through a number of field and laboratory methods, including tests based on diffusion (e.g., ASTM C1556), electrical conductivity (e.g., ASTM C1760 and ASTM C1202), electrical resistivity (e.g., ASTM C1876 and AASHTO T358), and electrical migration (e.g., NT BUILD 492 and AASHTO T357). This presentation will discuss methods for characterizing concrete transport properties for the development and validation of service life prediction models for new and existing reinforced concrete structures exposed to aggressive environments (e.g., marine environments). While service life prediction of new structures in these environments is conventionally based on laboratory testing of concrete transport properties - most notably the apparent diffusion coefficient - service life prediction of existing structures is instead based on a combination of nondestructive evaluation methods and destructive sampling and profiling of cores. Nondestructive evaluation methods generally include half-cell potential, resistivity, and corrosion rate (i.e., linear polarization resistance) surveys, as well as the use of ground penetrating radar for estimation of concrete cover. Testing considerations for service life prediction of both new and existing will be discussed, and case studies will be presented to demonstrate applications of these methods to in-service structures.