Corrosion Control of Reinforcement Bars

Why Corrosion Control of Reinforcement bars (Rebars) is
necessary?
Corrosion control of steel reinforcement is necessary to prevent damage and failure of concrete structures. Nearly
40% of failure of concrete structures is due to corrosion of embedded steel reinforcement. There can be many
causes for corrosion of reinforcement, but mostly it is related to quality of concrete, environment and quality of
construction practices. So, the first step in corrosion control of rebar is to provide good quality of concrete
through good construction practices. The quality of concrete materials, mixing, placing and compaction
techniques and good workmanship can help control the rebar corrosion.
Fig: Types of Cracks in Concrete due to Corrosion of Rebar
Though quality control in concrete construction may reduce chances of corrosion, there are various methods by
which the corrosion control of reinforcement bars can achieved.
Methods of Corrosion Control of Reinforcement in Concrete:
1. Cement-Polymer Composite Coated Rebars (CPCC)
Cement polymer coated rebars embedded in concrete are surrounded by an alkaline medium, thus cement based
coating is more compatible for reinforcement corrosion control. Two coats of cement polymer are applied on
rebar - Primer coat and Sealer coat. Products involved in Cement Polymer Composite Coated rebar are:
 De-rusting Solution
 Alkaline Powder
 Phosphating Jelly
 Inhibitor Solution
 Sealing Solution
This system has been developed mainly as a factory / shop process. Process of Cement Polymer Composite
Coated rebar:
Sl.
Parameter Requirements
No.
Surface preparation or pre-

1 Sand blasting to the near white metal
treatment
To be applied within four hours of pre-treatment (sand

2 Application of primer coat
blasting)
Sealer coat to be applied within 30 minutes of primer

3 Application of sealer coat coat application. Thickness of sealer coat should be
150+/- 25 microns
Cement polymer coated rebars should be air cured six

4 Air curing coated rebar
hours before use in work.
No defects such as cracking, bulging, peeling, no rust

5 Check for continuity of coating
marks. Visual inspection to be carried out.
The coated rebars are bent at 120o around a mandrel.

6 Test for adhesion of coating No peeling or cracking of coat should be observed on
outer radius.
7 Stacking of coated rebars Coated rebars to be stacked on buffer materials
Coated rebars can be cut and bent. Cut ends and weld
Cutting, bending and welding of
8 portion of the rebar should be treated with same
coated rebars
formulation.
The approach behind development of this system is that the base metal of rebars, contains pi electrons which get
readily released in corrosive environment leading to oxidation of iron and thereby formation of Ferrous Oxide
(II) (rust) as principal deterrent. In order to prevent this oxidation a surface coating capable of
interacting/nullifying the released electrons is provided. Further prestressing and reinforcing steel, in concrete
during service life, are exposed to an alkaline environment and this necessitates introductions of a top coat which
should be compatible to primer and alkaline environment.
2. Fusion Bonded Epoxy Coated Rebars (FBEC)
Fusion bonded epoxy coated rebar is produced from 100% solid finely ground fused powder particles. These
particles melt to form a continuous adherent film when heated. There is no passivating primer film provided in
case of FBEC rebars. Fusion bonded epoxy coating introduces a medium of weakness in the path of an intimate
bond between rebar and alkaline concrete. Process of Fusion Bonded Epoxy Coated Rebars:
No. Parameter Requirement
1. Bars are first cleaned from surface contamination such as oil,

grease etc. by chemical process before shot blasting. 2. The
Pre-treatment
1. reinforcement bars are cleaned by shot blasting or grit blasting to
(Surface reparation)
white or near white stage. 3. The blast cleaned bars are then heated
through induction heaters at preset temperature level around 230°C.
Hot bars are then fed to the coating booth, where the epoxy powder
2. Coating
is sprayed electrostatically.
Coated bars are then cured and forced cooled by water spraying to
3. Curing and Cooling
enable handling and testing.
Online and offline holiday checks, thickness checks are carried out.
Continuity of
4. The adhesion of the coated bars is also tested frequently by bending
coating
of the bar.
Various other tests are performed in laboratory like chemical

Testing of
resistance, short spray, resistance in continuance boiling water,
5. Performance of
abrasion resistance and impact resistance etc. These are conducted
rebar
on every batch of production.
Handling & Fusion Bonded Epoxy Coated Bars require padded contacts during
6.
Stacking transportation, stacking, handling and till the concreting is done.
The cut ends, welded spots and handling damages are required to be
Cutting, bending &
7. repaired with special liquid epoxy compatible with the coating
welding
material as per specification of the coating agency.
Extensive investigation carried out on 40 bridges in Florida Key in USA has revealed that disbandment can occur
easily in the FBEC rebars which lacked passivation layer of Ferrous oxide (II) and is a precursor to corrosion.
Higher coefficient of Thermal Expansion of fusion bonded epoxies impose large thermal stresses in epoxy
coating leading to its early failure.
Table: Mandrel Diameter for Bend Test Requirements
Bar Diameter (mm) Mandrel Diameter (mm)
6 60
8 80
10 100
12 100
16 125
18 150
20 150
22 200
25 200
28 225
32 280
36 280
40 400
45 450
50 500
Epoxy coats the rebar in the following manner:
 Melts
 Flows
 Gels
 Cures
 Cools
 Adheres as coating
3. Corrosion Resistant Steel Deformed Rebars (CRSD)

Mechanism of resistance to corrosion begins with the formation of initial layer of protective oxide or rust. (Hypo
oxides). Unlike common rust on normal rebars, the CRSD rust is passive, tenacious and self-renewing. The
protective oxide is fine textured, tightly adherent and a barrier to moisture, oxygen, carbon dioxide, Sulphur
dioxide and chloride effectively preventing further corrosion. Scale on normal bars of steel is coarse textured
flaky oxide that does not prevent moisture or oxygen from reaching the underlying bars and continuing the
corrosion. As corrosion resistance is in the chemistry of the grade, if the passive oxide layer gets removed
somehow, a new passive layer is formed immediately. Corrosion Resistant Steel Deformed Rebars -
Mechanical Properties
Properties IS:1786 Fe500D CRSD
Yield Stress, YS (min, N/mm2) 500 500
% Elongation 16 16
Ultimate Tensile Strength, UTS (min, N/mm2) 565 580
Comparison between Methods of Corrosion Control in Rebar:

Comparison between Cement Polymer Composite Coated rebar, Fusion Bonded Epoxy Coated Rebars
and Corrosion Resistant Steel Deformed Rebars:
Parameters CPCC FBEC CRSD
Thickness of
175 mm - 300 mm 300 mm - 675 mm No coating required
Coating
Type of
Protection to Extrinsic Extrinsic Intrinsic
rebar
Pretreatment is required Pretreatment is required

Pre-treatment No pre-treatment required
before coating before coating
Before coating the

Before coating the surface The surface of the finished
Treatment to surface made little
made little rough when good is not disturbed or
surface rough when some
some damage is introduced. damaged at all.
damage is introduced.
The whole process is

Temperature
done at room 230°C - 400°C No treatment required
treatment
temperature.
Special Modified mandrel Modified mandrel diameter

Same as other TMT rebars
Bending diameter is specified by is specified by Indian
of Fe 500D grade
requirement Indian Standard Standard
Defects
Holiday Effect Holliday Effect Nil
introduced
Reference
 ‘Durability of Concrete Structures’, RDSO, India

 ‘Guidelines for the use of High performance Concrete in Bridges’, RDSO, India
 IS: 13620 – Fusion Bonded Epoxy Coated Reinforcement Bars – Specification
 A775/A775M ? 07b (Reapproved 2014) – Standard Specification for Epoxy-Coated Steel Reinforcing
Bars
 Corrosion Reinforced Steel in Concrete by Tonini-Gaides - ASTM Special Publication 713
 Corrosion of Reinforcement in Concrete Construction by C.L. Pagci P.B. Bamforth, J.W. Figg (U.K.)

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Why Corrosion Control of Reinforcement bars (Rebars) is

Fig: Types of Cracks in Concrete due to Corrosion of Rebar

Surface preparation or pre-

To be applied within four hours of pre-treatment (sand

Sealer coat to be applied within 30 minutes of primer

Cement polymer coated rebars should be air cured six

No defects such as cracking, bulging, peeling, no rust

The coated rebars are bent at 120o around a mandrel.

7 Stacking of coated rebars Coated rebars to be stacked on buffer materials

1. Bars are first cleaned from surface contamination such as oil,

Various other tests are performed in laboratory like chemical

3. Corrosion Resistant Steel Deformed Rebars (CRSD)

Yield Stress, YS (min, N/mm2) 500 500

Ultimate Tensile Strength, UTS (min, N/mm2) 565 580

Comparison between Methods of Corrosion Control in Rebar:

Pretreatment is required Pretreatment is required

Before coating the

The whole process is

Special Modified mandrel Modified mandrel diameter

 ‘Durability of Concrete Structures’, RDSO, India

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