A STUDY EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF STRAY CURRENT ON THE INTEGRITY OF CONTINUOUS AND DISCONTINUOUS REINFORCING BARS

Corrosion of reinforcing bars in concrete is a significant global problem. Environmental conditions surrounding the steel in concrete impact corrosion rates when the normal passive state of the steel, embedded in an alkaline environment, is influenced by external factors. Since the time of Faraday, corrosion of metals by direct current (DC) has been well established. Corrosion of the steel within concrete occurs when DC flows through the concrete. Stray currents, arising from railways, transit systems, and cathodic protection systems are known to induce corrosion on buried metal structures, leading to severe localized attack. Here, Duranceau et al examine the effect of stray current on the integrity of reinforcing bars.