Experimental determination and numerical validation of the chloride penetration in cracked hydraulic concrete structures exposed to severe marine environment

Concrete is one of the most broadly materials that used in hydraulic structures. Both in new and service, and for various reasons, concrete structures are oftentimes cracked. The existence of cracks plays as a catalyst role of reduction the target service life. One of the main reasons of the impairment of the durability of these structures is chloride-motivated corrosion of the iron reinforcement. This paper aims to find, for the first time, the effect of cracks, experimentally and numerically, on chloride penetration in Hydraulic Concrete Structures (HCS) exposed to varied heads of seawater. The experimental results were acquired with Darcy law, by using new laboratory method called Hydraulic Pressure Tank (HPT) with artificial cracked specimens, whereas the chloride penetration profiles were obtained with development Electrical Conductivity Technique (ECT). The numerical simulation results were obtained using microstructure finite element models. A good acceptance between experimental and the numerical chloride penetration results was gotten.