Effect of Concrete Admixtures on Structural Properties and Corrosion Resistance of Steel Reinforcements

Concrete structural properties are compromised largely due to corrosion susceptibility of steel reinforcements. This results in weakening and eventual failure of structures. Several strategies have been employed in past to control corrosion and increase mechanical strength of concretes, in particular for structural applications. In this study, fly ash and polypropylene fibers were utilized as the admixtures for preparation of concrete blocks with variable water-cement (w/c) ratios i.e. 0.45, 0.5 and 0.65. Three different grades of cements were selected in this study namely OPC 43, OPC 53 and sulfate resistant one. Also, two different steel alloys were used i.e. ASTM-615 and ASTM-706, since both of them are very common reinforcement materials (rebars). The curing time of 56 consecutive days was employed before testing and characterization. The results suggest remarkable improvement in the mechanical properties of blocks upon the incorporation of admixtures. However, rebars exhibited highest corrosion rate in the presence of OPC 43 cement at w/c ratio of 0.65.