A study on the corrosion of reinforcing bars in alkali-activated fly ash mortars under wet and dry exposures to chloride solutions

This research investigates the corrosion protection afforded to the embedded rebars by room temperature-cured alkali-activated mortars, based on class F fly ash (FA), during wet and dry (w/d) exposures to 0.1 M NaCl solution. The results were compared to those obtained in a traditional cement-based mortar (REF). The rebar corrosion behaviour was characterized by corrosion potentials (Ecor) and potentiostatic polarization resistance (Rp) measurements, polarization curve recording and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The information collected suggested that FA mortars afforded a lower corrosion protection to the rebars and the reason was investigated by microstructural, physical–mechanical and chemical analyses of the mortars. FA mortars were found to undergo a fast carbonation, so that depassivation of the rebars occurred concurrently, in spite of a limited total chloride content inside these mortars. REF mortar was much less susceptible to carbonation and rebar corrosion started when a sufficiently high chloride concentration was built up.