Corrosion behaviour of steel in concrete in the presence of stray current

Effects of stray current on the corrosion behaviour of steel in concrete have been studied, with regards to both corrosion initiation and propagation. Results showed that DC current can induce corrosion initiation on the reinforcement in the anodic zone only after it has circulated for a certain time, which depends on the anodic current density, the presence of chloride in the concrete and interruptions in the current. AC current proved to be much less dangerous than DC, although it can influence the corrosion rate of steel in chloride-contaminated concrete and stimulate macrocouples. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.