Mechanical Performance versus Corrosion Damage Indicators for Corroded Steel Reinforcing Bars

Table 1

Approach to classification according to table 4.1 of EN 1992-1-1:2005 [4].

Class designation	Description of the environment	Informative examples where exposure classes may occur
() Corrosion induced by carbonation
XC1	Dry or permanent dry	Concrete inside buildings with low air humidity
		Concrete permanently submerged in water
() Corrosion induced by chlorides from seawater
XS2	Permanently submerged	Parts of marine structures
Practical corrosion rates and hydrogen activities
Class designation	Degree of corrosion	Hydrogen activity
() Corrosion induced by carbonation
XC1	Average corrosion rates: <0.5 µm/year; Max. erosion rates: 2 µm/year, poor concrete strength, low cover and cracks [4]	0–5 relevant only for submerged in water conditions, Moersch [23]: (i) pH value ≥ 12.6; (ii) Extreme oxygen poverty; no oxygen; (iii) Maximum content of chlorides in raw materials not exceeded, no additional corrosive substances; 1–10 for Moersch [23]: (i) pH value < 12.6; (ii) All oxygen contents; (iii) Maximum content of chlorides in raw materials not exceeded, no additional corrosive substances
() Corrosion induced by chlorides from sea water
XS2	Corrosion rates (mass loss); 1.16–11.6 µm/year (Rodriguez et al. [24]); ~0.9–9 mg/(cm² year)	1–15 for Moersch [23]: (i) pH value ≥ 12.6; (ii) Critical chloride content for corrosion exceeded: (a) very low oxygen content: 10–100 mol Cl/mol OH^−; (b) oxygen saturation: 0.1–1 mol Cl^−/mol OH^−; 5–45 for Moersch [23]: (i) pH value < 12.6; (ii) Critical chloride content for corrosion exceeded: (a) very low oxygen content: 10–100 mol Cl^−/mol OH^−; (b) oxygen saturation: 0.1–1 mol Cl^−/mol OH^−