Effect of Surface Defects of Reinforced Concrete Cover on Corrosion Expansion Cracking

The effect of initial defects on the surface of concrete cover with different sizes on the corrosion cracking time of steel bars was studied by electrochemical acceleration method. The results show that the initial defects on the surface of the concrete cover will significantly shorten the cracking time of the cover and have a strong induction effect on the cracking direction. The degree of cracking time reduction is positively correlated with the length of surface defects. At the engineering site, attention should be paid to the surface quality of the concrete structure. Then, the paper also evaluated the effect of the thickness of the sheath and the diameter of the steel bar on the cracking time of the cover.