Then, an experimental survey is carried out to estimate the influence of the current intensity on the corrosion morphology, oxides typology and cracking. Since the simulation of a realistic degradation is strictly related to the effective concrete porosity, to the cover depth and to the current intensity, the accelerated electrolytic corrosion tests have to be carried out by applying low current intensity values. The amount of the oxides (and then the radial pressure) increases with the time proportionally to the current intensity consequently, the cracks widen and a strong localization of the corrosion at the crack occurs. Since the corrosion products amount increases with the increase of the current intensity, there is a great influence of the current intensity on the crack width is clear, the oxides must have the time to spread in the concrete. Except for few cases, the principal findings come out from experimental surveys based on artificial corrosion procedures. In the paper, the topic of the cracking in reinforced concrete structures subjected to the corrosion process is firstly outlined by means of a brief review of the most significant literature results. The problem of the relationship between the corrosion phenomenon and the corresponding crack opening has been discussed. Actually, a crack width between 0.3 to 0.4 mm is defined as the limit value for a durability limit state. The definition of the maximum crack width depends on individual conditions and asset owner policies. In the estimation of life-cycle costs and optimization of repair and maintenance strategies for RC structures, severe cracking and spalling are considered as limit states ( e.g.

More than 30% of the American highway bridges have been declared deficient by the U.S. As an example, in EU a great number of the concrete highway bridges are deteriorated and are considered to be substandard: the 39% for France, the 37% for Germany, the 30% for United Kingdom and the 26% for Norway. Therefore, the study of the durability and the service life of reinforced concrete structures is of great importance ( e.g. For several years the reinforced concrete was considered an invulnerable material and all the factors related to the environmental actions and the relative consequences were ignored.

Prota structure 2016 crack