Modelling of chloride ingress into concrete from a saline environment

A mathematical model previously developed for the simulation of electrochemical chloride removal (ECR) process is utilised to predict the ionic mass transport associated with chloride ingress into concrete or hydrated cement paste from a saline environment by incorporating the convection of pore solution. Compared to the existing models, the present model has advantages in the aspect of numerical calculations as it avoids the difficulty of solving the Poisson equation about electrostatic potential. The significant effects of ionic interaction and the convection of pore solution on the chloride ingress are examined. Simulation results are compared with those obtained from the models using Fick's second law. The comparison shows that the present model is more detailed and accurate. It can be applied to various different cases with unified ionic diffusivities.