Integrated sensor network for monitoring steel corrosion in concrete structures

Abstract

<p class="Abstracttext-VITRUVIO">Corrosion is one of the main triggering factors affecting the service life and durability of structures. Several methods are used for corrosion studies but electrochemical techniques are the most commonly applied. Corrosion processes monitoring and control by means of non-destructive techniques, such as the implementation of embedded sensors, has been the target of many works. It is possible to obtain relevant information of structural corrosion processes in real time. This document describes a system including specific equipment and which allows obtaining relevant information about these corrosion processes. This system is formed by a sensor network. There are several types of electrodes, which are distributed throughout the structure under study and a specific equipment developed by the research group, which is used to determine pertinent parameters such as the corrosion potential (E<sub>corr</sub>) and the corrosion density (i<sub>corr</sub>) by applying sequences of potentiostatic pulses. The system allows to reliably determine the corrosion rate in different areas of the structure. The sensor, due to its configuration, provides information of a specific area of the structure, but on the other hand it is involved in the galvanic events that can occur along the structure by differential aeration, galvanic cells, etc. because the sensor is not isolated from the structure. This system also procures information of buried and submerged elements. Besides, it is possible to obtain information related to temperature, concrete resistance. The system includes specific potentiometric sensors to monitor chloride access and carbonatation processes.</p>

Porous Structure of Ultra-High-Performance Fibre-Reinforced Concretes

“…De Larrard was the first to later coin the term ultra-high-performance concrete for this the new material [ 6 ], first applied in civil engineering for a pedestrian bridge in Sherbrooke, Canada [ 7 ]. It has since been used at other sites, such as the nuclear power plants at Cattenom and Civaux in France [ 8 ] and offshore marine platforms [ 9 ].…”

Sensores para la Determinación de la Durabilidad de Construcciones de Hormigón Armado.

“…Corrosion monitoring sensor networks have been recently developed, which incorporate a pulse voltammetry device that allows measuring the intensity of corrosion for each point of the sensor network implemented in a reinforced concrete structure (Alcañiz et al, 2016) see ( Figure 5). Together with their design, the same researchers have developed a specific software that processes the electric response of each sensor and analyzes the structure in real time (Ramón et al, 2016).…”

Real‐time corrosion monitoring of an ultra‐high performance fibre‐reinforced concrete offshore raft by using an autonomous sensor system

“…11 As the WE is an isolated element, it does not participate in macrocell processes, and consequently, the corrosion rate measurement might not be representative of the actual condition of the reinforcement in the sensor-monitored area. 12 Furthermore, some systems exist that employ more advanced technology. Some proposals involve optical sensing technology-based sensors, 13 whose capacity to be miniaturised stands out, and inductively coupled magnetic fieldsbased sensors 14 that can be tested wirelessly, which greatly facilitates their field implementation.…”