ABSTRACT
Corrosionofsteelreinforcementisamajorconcerninconcreteconstructionlocatedinaggressiveenvironmentssuchascoastalandmarine structures,chemicalplants,waterandwastewatertreatmentfacilitiesand bridges,especiallywhende-icingchemicalsareused.Rustfromcorroded rebarsoccupiesalargervolumethantheironfromwhichitisformed. Thisresultsinlargeinternalpressureswhichleadtocrackingandspalling ofconcreteandultimatelythefailureofthestructure.Severalmethods forcontrollingthecorrosionprocesshavebeendevelopedwhichinclude increasingtheconcretecover,improvingthepermeabilityofconcreteby theuseofadditivesandadmixtures,cathodicprotectionandepoxy-coating ofthereinforcingbars.ThelasthasbeenusedextensivelyinNorth AmericasinceitwasfirstintroducedinaPennsylvaniabridgein1973[1]. However,recentreportsoncorrosionofepoxy-coatedreinforcingbarsin bridgesinFloridaKeyshaveloweredtheexpectationsoftheengineering communityonthelong-termperformanceofsuchcoatings[2].Infact, thesefindingshaveresultedinanundertakingbytheUSFederalHighway Administrationtoconcentrateonthedevelopmentofnewmaterialsor coatingsforreinforcingbars.Acompletelydifferentapproachwouldbe tousematerialsthatarehighlycorrosionresistant,suchasreinforcing barsconstructedofcompositematerials.
