Effects of electric arc furnace dust on susceptibility of steel to corrosion in chloride-contaminated concrete

• Published in: Construction & building materials 2013-02, Vol.39, p.60-64
• Main Authors: Al Mutlaq, F.M., Page, C.L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cement; Chemical properties; Concrete; Corrosion; Crevice corrosion; Critical chloride contents; Electric arc furnace dust; Steel; Steel reinforcement; Thermal properties
• ISSN: 0950-0618; 1879-0526
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2012.05.008

► Chloride-induced corrosion of steel in concrete is highly temperature-dependent. ► Crevices enhance susceptibility of steel in concrete to chloride-induced corrosion. ► Crevice corrosion in EAFD-free mortars occurred at low critical chloride contents. ► In mortars with small additions of EAFD this occurred at higher chloride contents. Small additions of electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) are currently being made to reinforced concrete in Saudi Arabia as a means of exploiting this waste material. To elucidate the possible effects of these additions on the susceptibility of reinforcing steel to corrosion, a series of laboratory tests was conducted on steel bars in mortar specimens containing 0%, 2% and 3.5% of EAFD by weight of cement, exposed to chloride ingress at 20 and 40°C. Effects of deliberately induced crevices at the steel/mortar interface on corrosion initiation were also investigated. The results showed that the above additions of EAFD caused no increase in the susceptibility of the embedded steel to chloride-induced corrosion and tolerance to chloride was actually enhanced by the presence of EAFD under the conditions investigated.