A Calculation Model for Corrosion Cracking in RC Structures

A novel calculation model is proposed aiming at the problem of concrete cover cracking induced by reinforcement corrosion. In this article, the relationship between the corrosion depth of the bar and the thickness of the rust layer is established. By deducing the radial displacement expression of concrete, the formula for corrosion depth and corrosion pressure before cracking is proposed. The crack depth of cover in accordance with the maximum corrosion pressure is deduced; furthermore, the corrosion depth and corrosion pressure at the cracking time are obtained. Finally, the theoretical model is validated by several experiments, and the calculated values agree well with the experiment results.