Electrochemical and microscopic analysis on corrosion behavior of steel bars in slag/fly ash-cement paste subjected to seawater attack

A series of corrosion experiments of cement paste-steel bar specimens with different contents of slag and fly ash were performed to investigate the influence of slag/fly ash on the corrosion behavior of steel bars in concrete under seawater. In this investigation, the corrosion behavior of specimen was electrochemically monitored by open-circuit potential (OCP), Tafel polarization (TP) and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS). Meanwhile, SEM/EDS and XRD were applied to microscopically analyze the microstructure deterioration of materials. Results showed that, replacing cement with slag/fly ash caused a decrease in Ca(OH)2 as well as an increase in C-S-H gel and Friedel's salt in concrete, which can improve the chloride-solidification ability and slow down the chloride diffusion in concrete by both physical adsorption and chemical binding, and thereafter promoting the corrosion resistance of steel bars in concrete in marine environment. Compared to slag, the equal replacing content of fly ash can contribute to a better improving effect on the corrosion resistance of reinforced concrete in marine environment. In this study, a replacement of cement by 20% slag+20% fly ash led to an optimum improving effect on its corrosion resistance. In addition, the results also indicate that the corrosion of reinforced concrete caused by seawater attack does not occur at a uniform rate, but it can firstly maintain a long-term uncorroded state, and then develops rapidly after pitting corrosion occurs.