Behavior of juxtaposed galvanic couples in small repaired beams by using primers to the reinforcement

Abstract

It has been demonstrated that the galvanic current is given by a macrocell which is formed during the curing of the repairs to a concrete member. After this time, the macrocell effect disappears giving place to a microcell behavior that lasts with time in spite of changes to the exposure conditions. This has been demonstrated for concrete containing 0.7% of chloride ion that was repaired, and where the reinforcement was primed with systems that provide protection by repassivation, inhibition, barrier or cathodic protection. However, not enough papers have been published about the electrochemical behavior of the juxtaposed regions (those in non-repaired zones but face to face to the repaired ones) after the repairs. This paper shows that repair approach, as presented here, has no adverse effects in the short and at medium term exposures to different environmental conditions.