ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: A numerical model is presented to simulate chloride ion ingress in concrete structures exposed to variable climatological conditions. The transport mechanisms of (free) chloride ions are both diffusion through and convection by pore water. This requires an advanced model for moisture transport in both the saturated and the non-saturated area. In case that the surface of the concrete structure is in contact with liquid water, the rate of the front of the saturated area is controlled by the balance between sorption and diffusion. The chloride binding isotherm is described by a linear or Langmuir type relation. The salient practical features of the model are: multi-layer, replacement of layers, imposing a chloride profile as initial situation. The model allows to predict the effect of maintenance actions on the service life of structural concrete, as illustrated for the King Fahd Causeway in the Persian Gulf.
