Effect of the application method and coating thickness on the relationship between resistivity and corrosion rate under natural marine exposure

Authors

  • Jorge Alberto Briceño Mena Secretaría de Ciencias, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación/Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7303-9083
  • Montserrat Soria Castro Secretaría de Ciencias, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación/Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional
  • Demetrio Nieves-Mendoza Facultad de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa 91000, Mexico
  • Eduardo Jesús Pérez-Garcia Investigador. MICONS
  • Pedro Castro Borges Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Mérida

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21041/ra.v16i3.1116

Keywords:

corrosion, concrete electrical resistivity, corrosion rate, correlation, natural marine exposure

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effect of the design method and concrete cover on the correlation between resistivity and corrosion rate, reinforced concrete specimens—prepared using a volumetric design (M1) and an aggregate packing method (M2)—were exposed to a tropical marine environment, with electrochemical parameters measured periodically. The results indicated that both methods were equivalent in maintaining the steel in a passive state throughout the study period. However, a disparity was observed in the ρ-icorr correlation fits: as the cover thickness increased, the fit for M1 diverged from theoretical models, whereas the fit for M2 converged with them. When applying models, attention must be paid to all conditions affecting the structural element to avoid overestimating corrosion during the initial stages.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abraham, B., Mathew, J. (2021). A Review on Durability Assessment of Concrete Structures Using Electrical Resistivity Method. International Journal of Research in Engineering and Science (IJRES) ISSN, 9(7), 12–19. www.ijres.org

ACI Committee 211. (2022). Selecting Proportions for Normal-Density and High-Density Concrete-Guide. American Concrete Institute. www.concrete.org

Alonso, C., Andrade, C., González, J. A. (1988). Relation between resistivity and corrosion rate of reinforcements in carbonated mortar made with several cement types. Cement and Concrete Research, 18(5), 687–698. https://doi.org/10.1016/0008-8846(88)90091-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0008-8846(88)90091-9

Andrade, C. (2018). Diseño y evaluación de la vida útil a través de resistividad eléctrica concreta. Revista ALCONPAT, 8(3), 264–279. https://doi.org/10.21041/ra.v8i3.349 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21041/ra.v8i3.349

Azarsa, P., Gupta, R. (2017). Electrical Resistivity of Concrete for Durability Evaluation: A Review. Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/8453095 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/8453095

Balestra, C. E. T., Nakano, A. Y., Savaris, G., Medeiros-Junior, R. A. (2019). Reinforcement corrosion risk of marine concrete structures evaluated through electrical resistivity: Proposal of parameters based on field structures. Ocean Engineering, 187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2019.106167 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2019.106167

Briceño-Mena, J. A., Balancán-Zapata, M. G., Castro-Borges, P. (2019, November 30). EFECTO BORDE EN EL PROCESO DE CORROSIÓN A EDADES TEMPRANAS. MEMORIAS CONPAT 2019. https://doi.org/10.21041/CONPAT2019/V1CC388 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21041/CONPAT2019/V1CC388

Castañeda Valdés, A., Corvo Pérez, F., Pech Pech, I., Marrero Águila, R., Bastidas-Arteaga, E. (2024). Durability Requirements for Reinforced Concrete Structures Placed in a Hostile Tropical Coastal Environment. Buildings, 14(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14082494 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14082494

Hornbostel, K., Elsener, B., Angst, U. M., Larsen, C. K., Geiker, M. R. (2017). Limitations of the use of concrete bulk resistivity as an indicator for the rate of chloride-induced macro-cell corrosion. Structural Concrete, 18(2), 326–333. https://doi.org/10.1002/suco.201500141 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/suco.201500141

Industria de La Construcción – Durabilidad – Norma General de Durabilidad de Estructuras de Concreto Reforzado – Criterios y Especificaciones, 1 (2017).

ISO 9223:2012. (2012). Corrosion of metals and alloys — Corrosivity of atmospheres — Classification, determination and estimation. EUROPEAN STANDARD.

Kim, Y., Kee, S. H., Monjardin, C. E. F., Robles, K. P. V. (2026). Multivariate Machine Learning Framework for Predicting Electrical Resistivity of Concrete Using Degree of Saturation and Pore-Structure Parameters. Materials, 19(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19020349 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19020349

Koleva, D. A., de Wit, J. H. W., van Breugel, K., Veleva, L. P., van Westing, E., Copuroglu, O., Fraaij, A. L. A. (2008). Correlation of microstructure, electrical properties and electrochemical phenomena in reinforced mortar. Breakdown to multi-phase interface structures. Part II: Pore network, electrical properties and electrochemical response. Materials Characterization, 59(6), 801–815. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2007.06.016 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2007.06.016

Le, H. V., Kim, M. K., Kim, D. J., Park, J. (2021). Electrical properties of smart ultra-high performance concrete under various temperatures, humidities, and age of concrete. Cement and Concrete Composites, 118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2021.103979 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2021.103979

Liu, Q., Pei, G., Chen, L., Duan, K., Zhang, F., Su, R. K.-L. (2024). Effects of Chloride, Humidity, and Concrete Mix on the Electrochemical Parameters of Steel Reinforcement Corrosion. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 36(8). https://doi.org/10.1061/jmcee7.mteng-17914 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/JMCEE7.MTENG-17914

Maldonado, L., Veleva, L. (1999). Corrosivity category maps of a humid tropical atmosphere: the Yucatán Peninsula, México. Materials and Corrosion, 50, 261–266. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1521-4176(199905)50:5<261::AID-MACO261>3.0.CO;2-G

Morris, W., Vico, A., Vázquez, M. (2004). Chloride induced corrosion of reinforcing steel evaluated by concrete resistivity measurements. Electrochimica Acta, 49(25), 4447–4453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2004.05.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2004.05.001

Murillo Mosquera, E., Cifuentes, S., Obando, J. C., Monteiro, S. N., Colorado, H. A. (2025). Concrete Obtained with the Viterbo O’Reilly Method for Aggregate Gradation: A Potential Model for Sustainable Design and Reducing Development Costs. Materials, 18(15). https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18153558 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18153558

O’Reilly, V. A. (1990). Métodos para Dosificar Mezclas de Hormigón (1a edición). Científico-Técnico.

Pedrosa, F., Andrade, C. (2021). Spatial variability of concrete electrical resistivity and corrosion rate in laboratory conditions. Construction and Building Materials, 306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.124777 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.124777

Presuel-Moreno, F., Bencosme, R., Hoque, K., Nazim, Manzurul, Kazemi, A., Tang, F. (2018). Corrosion Propagation of Carbon Steel Rebars in High Performance Concrete. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5006/C2019-13564

Qu, F., Li, W., Dong, W., Tam, V. W. Y., Yu, T. (2021). Durability deterioration of concrete under marine environment from material to structure: A critical review. Journal of Building Engineering, 35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2020.102074 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2020.102074

Rodrigues, R., Gaboreau, S., Gance, J., Ignatiadis, I., Betelu, S. (2021). Reinforced concrete structures: A review of corrosion mechanisms and advances in electrical methods for corrosion monitoring. In Construction and Building Materials (Vol. 269). Elsevier Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121240 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121240

Rodriguez, J., Ortega, L., García, A. (1993, December). On Site Corrosion Rate Measurements in Concrete Structures. Hormigón y Acero.

Tian, Z., Ye, H. (2022). Mechanisms underlying the relationship between electrical resistivity and corrosion rate of steel in mortars. Cement and Concrete Research, 159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2022.106867 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2022.106867

Torres-Acosta, A. A. (2024). Technical Note: Considerations to Avoid Corrosion Rate Estimate Error of the Reinforcing Steel if Based Only on Concrete’s Electrical Resistivity. Corrosion, 80(4), 332–337. https://doi.org/10.5006/4482 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5006/4482

Torres-Acosta, A. A., González-Calderón, P. Y. (2021). Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) mucilage as corrosion inhibitor of steel in CO2-contaminated mortar. Materials, 14(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14051316 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14051316

Torres-Acosta, A. A., Martínez-Madrid, M., Loveday, D., Horner, M. (2005, March 3). Nopal and Aloe Vera Additions in Concrete Electrochemical Behavior of the Reinforcing Steel. CORROSION 2005. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5006/C2005-05269

Troconis De Rincón, O., Montenegro, J. C., Vera, R., Carvajal, A. M., Mejía De Gutierrez, R., Del Vasto, S., Saborio, E., Torres-Acosta, A., Pérez-Quiroz, J., Martínez-Madrid, M., Martinez-Molina, W., Alonso-Guzmán, E., Castro- Borges, P., Moreno, E. I., Almeraya-Calderón, F., Gaona-Tiburcio, C., Pérez-López, T., Salta, M., De Melo, A. P., … De Partidas, E. (2015). Concrete carbonation in Ibero-American countries DURACON project: Six-year evaluation. Corrosion, 71(4), 546–555. https://doi.org/10.5006/1385 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5006/1385

Tuutti, K. (1982). Corrosion of steel in concrete. Swedish Cement and Concrete Research Institute, 473.

Zhang, G., Zhu, Y., Lin, X., Tian, Y., Ye, H., Jin, X., Jin, N., Yan, D., Xiao, F., Yao, K., Chen, J. (2021). Numerical simulation of electrochemical mechanism of steel rebar corrosion in concrete under natural climate with time-varying temperature and humidity. Construction and Building Materials, 306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.124873 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.124873

Published

2026-09-01

How to Cite

Briceño Mena, J. A., Soria Castro, M., Nieves-Mendoza, D., Pérez-Garcia, E. J., & Castro Borges, P. (2026). Effect of the application method and coating thickness on the relationship between resistivity and corrosion rate under natural marine exposure. Revista ALCONPAT, 16(3), 521–535. https://doi.org/10.21041/ra.v16i3.1116