Corrosion measurements of steel reinforcement in concrete exposed to a tropical marine atmosphere

As part of a broad research program, reinforced concrete cylinders of different qualities were exposed to the marine atmosphere of North Peninsula of Yucatán. The cylinders were electrochemically monitored over a period of 56 months. The time for the onset of active corrosion was shorter for rebars in concretes with a high water-to-cement (w/c) ratio compared to that for rebars in low w/c ratio concrete. Results also indicate, as expected, that for equal periods of exposure, nominal corrosion current density (icorr) values were generally higher for rebar in concrete with higher w/c ratio than those for rebar in low w/c ratio concrete. Analysis of the observed impedance spectra in terms of a modified Randles circuit (in which the ideal capacitor is replaced by a constant phase element (CPE)) appeared to be a reasonable approximation.