Effect of corrosion on bond in reinforced concrete under cyclic loading

Cyclic loading can result in severe deterioration in the bond between reinforcing steel bar and the surrounding concrete, especially when the reinforcement is corroded. In this study, tests were carried out for bond stress–slip response of corroded reinforcement with concrete under cyclic loading. Parameters investigated include: corrosion level, confinement, bar type, and loading history. The results revealed that bond behaviour was significantly reduced under cyclic loading. Degradation in bond was significantly less for deformed bars than for smooth bars at the initial loading cycle, but the difference was diminished with loading. The bond reduction was more substantial for unconfined steel bars than for confined bars. The relatively high level of corrosion caused degradation primarily in the initial five cycles, the effect of corrosion being decreased with loading. It was also demonstrated that the cyclic bond stress–slip curves depended on loading history.