B.E.

Degree (Civil Engineering) - 2014-15

Category L T P Credit
OC 1 0 0 1

Preamble
Construction plays a vital role in economic development. The durability of concrete has
become a highly discussed topic in global development. Even though several factors are
responsible for early distress in reinforced concrete structures it is observed that in majority
of cases, it is because of the corrosion of reinforcement. Therefore, basic understanding of
corrosion technology for both durability of structure and rehabilitation work is a must. This
course gives an overall knowledge on factors influencing, monitoring and methods of control
of corrosion affected RC structures.
Prerequisite
Knowledge on Concrete Technology
Course Outcomes
On the successful completion of the course, students will be able to

CO1 Explain the factors influencing reinforcement corrosion in RC Apply

structures
CO2 Demonstrate the various types of corrosion monitoring methods Apply
CO3 Apply appropriate corrosion control methods to distressed concrete Apply
structures
CO4 Suggest suitable repair and rehabilitation techniques for corrosion Apply
affected concrete structures

Mapping with Programme Outcomes

COs PO1 PO2 PO3 PO4 PO5 PO6 PO7 PO8 PO9 PO10 PO11 PO12
CO1. S - M - L M - S M L - -
CO2. S - M - L M - S M L - -
CO3 M - M - L M - S M L L -
CO4 M - M - L M - S M L M -
S- Strong; M-Medium; L-Low

Assessment Pattern: Theory cum Practice Part:

Blooms Category Test 1 End -semester Examination

Remember 20 20
Understand 40 40
Apply 40 40
Analyze 0 0
Evaluation 0 0
Create 0 0

Course Level Assessment Questions

Course Outcome 1 (CO1):

 B.E. Degree (Civil Engineering) - 2014-15

1. Mention two factors influencing rebar corrosion in RCC.

2. Discuss the mechanism of corrosion in rebars and discuss the influencing factors.
3. Suggest suitable methods of making concrete buried under polluted ground
resistant to corrosion? Justify with reasoning
Course Outcome 2 (CO2):
1. Write the principle of gravimetric method of monitoring of corrosion in concrete
structures.
2. Explain the principle of any two methods of monitoring corrosion affected RC
structures.
3. Explain the working principle of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.
Course Outcome 3 (CO3):
1. Define the term service life of structures and mention the need for its prediction.
2. Discuss the properties and uses of various supplementary cementitious materials
in concrete.
3. Explain the principle of Electrochemical realkalisation mentioning its application.
4. An RCC structure is to be constructed in a marine environment; discuss the various
measures you would recommend to make the structure safe against corrosion.
Justify with proper reasons.
5. Compare the following techniques: Electrochemical realkalisation and
Electrochemical chloride removal discussing the principle behind each and
mentioning their applicability.
Course Outcome 4 (CO4):
1. Corrosion of rebars is influenced by cover thickness- justify. Mention the cover
thickness to be provided for the following situations: Underwater concreting structure,
Normal exposure concrete.
2. An old RCC bridge is showing cracking due to rebar corrosion; discuss the procedure
you would adopt while inspecting the structure to diagnose distress and suggest
suitable methods of repair to make the structure functionally fit and ensure quality
assurance to its users.
3. Explain the factors to be considered in choice of repair materials for corrosion
affected RC structures.
4. Discuss the method of diagnosing distress in concrete structures.

Concept Map
 B.E. Degree (Civil Engineering) - 2014-15

Syllabus
Factors Influencing Reinforcement Corrosion: Physical, chemical, biological, mechanical
and structural factors, micro cell and macro cell formation in concrete, attack by sea water
and consequences of rebar corrosion, initiation and propagation of corrosion, repassivation
of steel, concrete cover, chloride binding mechanism, chloride threshold value, carbonation
and sulphidation induced corrosion. Corrosion Monitoring of Concrete Structures: Health
assessment of concrete structures, Methods to assess the deterioration of concrete:
Gravimetric Method, Electrochemical methods of corrosion monitoring of rebars: Surface
potential measurements, Half-cell potential measurements, Electrical resistance Probe
Technique, Instantaneous corrosion rate by Linear Polarization method, Electrochemical
Impedance Spectroscopy, Tafel Extrapolation, Galvapulse Method, Noise measurements,
Simulation and modeling, Service life prediction. Corrosion Control Methods For
Concrete Structures: Design and Durability of Concrete, Chemical and mineral admixtures,
Coatings to Concrete surface, Supplementary cementitious materials in concrete, Blended
cements. Various grades and types of rebars, Electrochemical realkalisation,
Electrochemical chloride removal, Corrosion inhibiting admixtures. Repair and
Rehabilitation of Concrete Structures: Basic principle of repair, Concrete removal and
surface preparation, Preparation of the reinforcement, quality assurance and the use of
materials for concrete, filling cracks and cavities in concrete, Concrete properties : strength,
permeability, thermal properties and cracking, Effects due to climate, temperature, chemical
 B.E. Degree (Civil Engineering) - 2014-15

corrosion, design and construction errors - Effects of cover thickness and cracking, crack
width measurements, carbonation depth, chloride profile tests, Slant-shear tests for new
concrete to old concrete bonding, selection of repair materials, Properties of repair materials,
Repair Techniques: Guniting and Shotcrete techniques.
Reference Books
1. John P Broomfield, Corrosion of Steel in Concrete, E & FN SPON, Chapman and Hall,
London and New York, 1997.
2. Luca Berttolini, Bernhard Elsener, Pietro Pedeferri, Rob Polder, Corrosion of Steel in
3. Concrete, Prevention, Diagnosis, Repair, WILEY-VCH publication, Weinheim, 2004.
4. Kumar Mehta, Concrete in Marine Environment, Elsevier Applied Science, London and
New York, 2003.
5. John New man, Ban Seng Choo, Advanced Concrete Technology, Elsevier Ltd, 2003.
6. Hans Bohni, Corrosion in Reinforced Concrete Structures, CRC Woodhead Publishing
Limited, Cambridge, England, 2005.
7. Mohamed A. El-Reedy, Steel Reinforced Concrete Structures-Assessment and Repair of
Corrosion, CRC Press (Taylor & Francis Group), 2008.
8. M Raupach, B Elsener, R Polder and J Mietz, Corrosion of Reinforcement in Concrete
-Mechanisms, Monitoring, Inhibitors and Rehabilitation techniques, Woodhead Publishing
Limited, Cambridge, England 2007.
9. M.S.Shetty, Concrete Technology - Theory & Practice, S. Chand and Company Limited,
New Delhi, 2003.
10. R.N.Raikar, Leaning from Failures, Publisher - R & D Center (SDCPL), Raikar Bhawan,
Sector-17, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, 1987.
Course Contents and Lecture Schedule

Module Topic No. of

No. Lectures
1.0 Factors Influencing Reinforcement Corrosion
1.1 Physical, chemical, biological, mechanical and structural factors, 1
micro cell and macro cell formation in concrete
1.2 Attack by sea water and consequences of rebar corrosion initiation 1
and propagation of corrosion, depassivation of steel, concrete
cover
1.3 Chloride binding mechanism, chloride threshold value, 1
carbonation and sulphidation induced corrosion
2.0 Corrosion Monitoring of Concrete Structures
2.1 Health assessment of concrete structures, Methods to assess the
deterioration of concrete: Gravimetric Method, Electrochemical 1
methods of corrosion monitoring of rebars
2.2 Surface potential measurements, Half-cell potential 1
measurements, Electrical resistance Probe Technique
2.3 Instantaneous corrosion rate by Linear Polarization method, 1
Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, Tafel Extrapolation
2.4 Galvapulse Method, Noise measurements, Simulation and 1
modeling, Service life prediction
3.0 Corrosion Control Methods For Concrete Structures
 B.E. Degree (Civil Engineering) - 2014-15

3.1 Design and Durability of Concrete 1

3.2 Chemical and mineral admixtures, Coatings to Concrete surface,
Supplementary cementitious materials in concrete, Blended 1
cements
3.3 Various grades and types of rebars, Electrochemical 1
realkalisation, Electrochemical chloride removal, Corrosion
inhibiting admixtures
4.0 Repair and Rehabilitation of Concrete Structures
4.1 Basic principle of repair, Concrete removal and surface 1
preparation, Preparation of the reinforcement, quality assurance
and the use of materials for concrete, filling cracks and cavities in
concrete
4.2 Concrete properties : strength, permeability, thermal properties 1
and cracking, Effects due to climate, temperature, chemical
corrosion, design and construction errors
4.3 Effects of cover thickness and cracking, crack width 1
measurements, carbonation depth, chloride profile tests, Slant-
shear tests for new concrete to old concrete bonding
4.4 Selection of repair materials, Properties of repair materials, Repair 1
Techniques: Guniting and Shotcrete techniques
Total Hours 14

Course Designers:
1. Dr. V. Saraswathy, corrsaras@rediffmail.com
CECRI, Karaikudi