Impact of Environment Conditions on the Degradation Process of Selected Reinforced Concrete Elements

The environment negative impact on concrete can lead to deterioration its properties and the same to durability reduction of reinforced concrete structures. The main reasons of reinforced concrete elements destruction are carbonation of concrete, chemical corrosion, frost as well as mechanical defects that can damage the concrete cover and initiate the corrosion process on reinforcement. The intensity of destructive processes is closely linked with the intensity of environment factors action. Therefore, it can be assumed that the impact of CO₂, humidity changes and temperature will be much bigger in case of outdoor elements than the interior elements. The paper presents results of the experimental test that was carried out on two kinds of reinforced concrete poles: outdoor power pylons and columns of frame building structure in the public utility building. The examined elements were exploited on the same location in the same time – fifty years, but in different environment conditions. The semi-nondestructive electrochemical method was used to measure of reinforcement corrosion intensity in both kinds of poles. The results allowed to evaluate the corrosion activity of reinforced rods and to predict the corrosion progress in time. At the same time, the samples of cover concrete were taken from the poles to carry out the phase composition by X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis. The results allowed assessing the effect of environment conditions on the degree of destruction two kinds of reinforced concrete poles. The electrochemical test showed differences of the reinforcement corrosion activity as well as the research of concrete samples; however, the differences were not as significant as should be supposed.