ABSTRACT
The structural elements considered in this paper are stored in the testing site of BRIDGE|50 research project after the dismantling of a 50-year-old viaduct. They are representative of the use of reinforced and prestressed concrete in the XX century and offer the opportunity to characterize corrosion behavior of full-scale concrete deck beams under different degradation conditions through experimental investigations. This paper presents the results obtained by means of electrochemical methods (such as corrosion potential and electrical resistivity) and by performing some chemical and physical analyses on concrete samples collected from selected beams. Such results provide the bases to investigate the feasibility of applying electrochemical techniques aimed at advanced repair strategies of existing deck beams for eventually reusing them in new constructions. On the other hand, the application of such techniques might also allow to induce on the same beams accelerated ageing processes for simulating more aggressive conditions.
