TECHNOLOGIES
Multi-parameter assessment of the relative electrochemical condition of reinforced concrete structures exposed to stray currents and chloride environments
- 1 State University of Novi Pazar, Department of Technical and Technological Sciences, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Novi Pazar, Serbia
- 2 University of Pristina, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Architecture, Kosovska Mitrovica
Abstract
The long-term reliability of reinforced concrete structures is strongly influenced by electrochemical deterioration processes affecting embedded steel reinforcement. In addition to conventional environmental actions, stray electrical currents may disturb the passive state of reinforcing steel and contribute to the initiation or acceleration of corrosion, particularly when combined with chloride-contaminated environments. This study proposes a multi-parameter framework for assessing the electrochemical reliability of reinforced concrete structures subjected to combined electrical and environmental actions. The assessment is based on three principal electrochemical indicators: reinforcement corrosion potential, electrical resistivity of concrete and corrosion current density. Five representative exposure scenarios are considered, ranging from a reference condition without significant electrical influence to combined exposure involving increased moisture, chlorides and simulated stray currents. The selected parameters are integrated into a dimensionless Electrochemical Reliability Index (ERI), developed to enable comparative classification of structural condition and deterioration risk. The proposed methodology combines normalised electrochemical indicators with a weighted deterioration model and sensitivity analysis. For the baseline weighting system, the calculated ERI values decrease from 1.000 for the reference K0 condition to 0.846 for E1, 0.651 for E2, 0.374 for E3 and 0.000 for the highly aggressive E4 scenario. The most pronounced reliability reduction occurs between moderate electrical influence and simulated stray-current exposure. Sensitivity analysis confirms that the ranking K0 > E1 > E2 > E3 > E4 remains unchanged under three weighting systems. The proposed framework is intended as a comparative engineering assessment tool rather than a substitute for detailed structural inspection or standardised corrosion diagnosis. Its principal contribution lies in integrating complementary electrochemical parameters into a unified reliability-oriented indicator that may support condition assessment, maintenance prioritisation and durability management of reinforced concrete structures exposed to complex electrical and chloride environments.
Keywords
References
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