Experimental Study and Analytical Model of Concrete Cover Spalling Induced by Steel Corrosion

Abstract

Concrete cover spalling induced by steel corrosion is generally assumed to be the limit state of concrete structures when considering their structural safety. A new method for testing the resisting bending moment in a spalling concrete block is proposed in this paper. Spalling experiments were conducted on six beams after being subjected to simultaneous sustained loads and accelerated corrosion, and the resisting bending moments in the spalling concrete block were measured. Two spalling mode types were identified, and the spalling bending moment was found to be negatively related to the crack widths. Based on the experimental results, an analytical model was preliminarily established to determine the resisting bending moment in a spalling concrete block of corroded beams, and the results indicate that the predictions from the analytical model exhibit reasonable agreement with the experimental data. According to the experimental results and analytical model, a criterion for predicting concrete cover spalling is proposed.