Chloride profiles – What do they tell us and how should they be used?

Chloride profiles are used to select concrete compositions for new reinforced concrete structures, evaluate the condition of existing structures, and to predict their remaining service life, all with regard to chloride-induced reinforcement corrosion. They are invaluable tools for improving the sustainability of our infrastructure. We examine what chloride profiles tell us and how they should be used. Through a series of case studies, we establish a list of crucial research questions that provide a direction for future research in this field: What is the contribution of chloride binding to chloride transport? What is the path for chloride transport in concrete? How are our findings on chloride profiles relevant for reinforcement corrosion? We then discuss the implications of the answers to these questions for engineering and mechanistic modelling practices.