Cathodic Protection of Corroded Pre-stressing Tendon by CFRP Sheets

Astha Verma, Shweta Goyal

Abstract— Reinforced concrete is one of the most commonly used construction materials in civil engineering but its durability problems have been obsessing people. The worst of these problems is caused by corrosion of steel in concrete which includes early deterioration of concrete infrastructures. Cathodic Protection is a reduction/elimination of corrosion by making the material a cathode by impressing a DC current. A new development in repair and rehabilitation of R.C structures is the use of carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP) which provide a barrier layer that is expected to impede further corrosion of steel and prevents dislodging of concrete cover. The present paper describes the protection of the strand achieved by using surface bonded carbon FRP. The electrically conductive carbon fibre is used as anode while the pre-stressing tendon is used as cathode in the present active protection. Specimens were exposed to highly corrosive environment for specified time. It is observed that the active protection technique is very effective in retarding the corrosion of strand.