Mechanical behaviour and corrosion resistance of stainless steel cold rolled reinforcing bars

Stainless steels have recently been used as reinforcing bars in special civil constructions in order to increase their expected life in highly demanding corrosion environments. The mechanical properties of three austenitic (304LN, 316LN and 316Ti) and a duplex (2205) stainless steel rebars obtained after hot rolling followed by a final cold rolling schedule was performed. The influence of the rib region on these properties were obtained, as well as their fracture behaviour, by means of their J-R curves. The experimental work was completed with the study of the electrochemical corrosion behaviour of all the bars in a solution that simulates a salt contaminated concrete environment All the results have been justified by means of optical and electronic metallography and also using fractographic analysis.