Model for the Patterns of Salt-Spray-Induced Chloride Corrosion in Concretes under Coupling Action of Cyclic Loading and Salt Spray Corrosion

• Main Authors: Ruixue Liu, Huiguang Yin, Lianying Zhang, Bing Li, Xianbiao Mao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-02-01
• Series: Processes
• Subjects: Unsaturation; chloride; concrete; coupling model; numerical calculation
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/7/2/84

In this study, the patterns of chloride ion erosion of unsaturated concrete subjected to the coupling action of cyclic loading and salt spray corrosion were experimentally studied, and Fick’s Second Law was used to fit the variation patterns of chloride concentration to obtain the chloride diffusion coefficient. Accordingly, we have established a mathematical model that describes chloride transport in unsaturated concrete and accounts for the effects of gas flow, water migration, convection diffusion, and capillary action. This model is composed of three equations—the gas flow equation, the solution flow equation, and the solute convection⁻diffusion equation. The COMSOL numerical analysis software was subsequently used to obtain solutions for this model, based on parameters such as porosity and the chloride diffusion coefficient. Subsequently, the saturation, relative permeability, and the chloride ion concentration during the first corrosion cycle were analyzed. The numerical results were consistent with the experimental values and were therefore superior to the values obtained using Fick’s Second Law.