Influence of Hot-dip Galvanizing of Reinforcement on the Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Corrosion Process in Concrete

This work is an interdisciplinary study which combines reinforced concrete construction domain with analytical techniques, specific for electrochemistry. This paper presents a synthesis of research in this field and own experimental results. The aim of the research was to highlight, both in terms of thermodynamic and kinetic, the enhanced corrosion resistance hot dip galvanized reinforcement embedded in concrete, compared with the steel reinforcement anticorrosive unprotected. The experimental researches were conducted during the concrete curing. In parallel, it was analyzed the reinforcement corrosion, in embedding conditions in a concrete with Cl− content, artificially induced. The experimental results showed the efficiency of the corrosion protection obtained through galvanizing: the slowing of the corrosion process and the endurance probability of a higher chlorine concentrations till to the initiation of corrosion.