Influences of various factors on half-cell potential testing

Abstract

Half-cell potential testing has been recommended as a non-destructive method for assessing the probability ofcorrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete structure before the damage is evident on the surface of concretestructure. The objective of this research was to quantify the effects of chloride concentration, concrete coverthickness, concrete compressive strength and presence of epoxy coating on half-cell potential measurements ofconcrete structure. The results of the testing indicated that all of the factors have important impacts on half-cellpotentials over the ranges of levels investigated in this research. Half-cell potential measurements became morenegative with increasing chloride concentrations and; on the other hand, it became less negative with increasingconcrete cover thickness and increasing compressive strength. As expected, the uncoated rebar had morenegative half-cell potential than epoxy-coated rebar.

Keywords: Reinforced Concrete, Half-cell potential, Steel corrosion, Concrete structure inspection