Finite Element Model for Expansive Stress due to Corrosion of Reinforced Concrete Structures

Abstract

The corrosion in the reinforcement steel is a problem that diminishes the useful life of reinforced concrete structures, besides committ ing its structural security. In the available models to estimate the mechanical effect of the corrosion, it is assumed that the corroded steel, through the oxides that grow to its surroundings, exercises a pressure on the surrounding concrete supposing a problem of plane stress or plane strain. In this work, the problem is modeled with three-dimensional finite element starting from an experiment on a subjected cylinder to accelerated corrosion, with strain gages to measure the pressure indirectly in the interface steel-concrete. From the results obtained it can be concluded that the effect of the length of corroded steel, anodic length, has a significant effect on the magnitude of the pressure in the interface steel-concrete, fact that can be used to improve the existing models.