A promising potential embeddable sensor for corrosion monitoring application in concrete structures

Sensors are involved in the corrosion monitoring and structural monitoring of concrete structures. In this investigation attempts have been made on the corrosion monitoring of concrete structures by employing embeddable reference sensor. Alkaline manganese dioxide (MnO2) sensor was fabricated in the laboratory as suitable as an embeddable use into the concrete structures. The electrochemical stability of sensor in concrete environments was examined in saturated calcium hydroxide solutions, a synthetic concrete pore solution and an extracts obtained from ordinary Portland cement. Sensor is embedded into the concretes and the performance was studied in the absence and presence of chloride ions for the exposure period of 18 months. Polarisation behaviour and impedance characteristics of the sensor in mortar were carried out in three aqueous solutions namely distilled water, 3% NaCl solution and natural sea water. This investigation covers the tests in solutions representing concrete environments, electrochemical studies in mortar and the long-term exposure studies in concrete.