Corrosion Damage Quantification of Prestressing Strands Using Acoustic Emission
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 25, Issue 9
Abstract
Steel degradation due to corrosion in prestressed concrete bridges has been of major concern as it presents a threat to the integrity of structures adjacent to marine environments or where deicing salts are regularly used. To assess the potential for monitoring of the corrosion process, an accelerated corrosion testing program has been conducted. A series of specimens with dimensions () were subjected to constant potential application through the embedded steel strand while being continuously monitored with acoustic emission (AE). Depassivation of the strand was detected by monitoring the fluctuations in applied anodic current. Half-cell potential measurements assessed the probability of corrosion, and all results obtained were compared to acoustic emission data. The mass loss of the corroded strands was correlated to acoustic emission intensity analysis to quantify the degree of damage. Results show that acoustic emission is as sensitive as half-cell potential for detecting the presence of corrosion and may be used to effectively locate corroded areas. The intensity analysis proved useful for categorizing the level of damage, making it a strong candidate for structural prognosis.
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Acknowledgments
Special thanks are extended to the personnel of the University of South Carolina’s Structures and Materials Laboratory. We would also like to express our gratitude for the technical support provided by the Mistras Group, particularly Dr. Miguel Gonzalez. This project was partially supported by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-Technology Innovation Program (TIP), Cooperative Agreement No. 70NANB9H9007.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 25 • Issue 9 • September 2013
Pages: 1326 - 1334
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 24, 2012
Accepted: Aug 23, 2012
Published online: Nov 20, 2012
Discussion open until: Apr 20, 2013
Published in print: Sep 1, 2013
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