The relation between electrokinetics and chloride transport through cement-based materials

The objective of this study is to determine how the use of an electrokinetic technique (migration) has an impact on chloride transport through cement-based materials. Electrokinetic transport of ions is the transport of ions under the influence of an electrical current, and is also named migration. The paper emphasizes the impact of electrokinetics on the total chloride concentration profile through saturated mortar both in transient regime, and in steady state during chloride penetration, and chloride extraction. For chloride decontamination, an explanation is proposed for the different shapes of the curves representing the chloride mass flow rate and the amount of chloride extracted in time from the mortar, measured with or without an electrical current. The efficiency of the electrokinetic dechloruration is proposed in terms of amount of removed chloride.