Reinforcing steel passivation in mortar and pore solution

Under field conditions, steel is embedded in concrete for a long period of time before chlorides penetrate. In studying the corrosion behaviour of steel in concrete, mortar or in simulated pore solution, it is essential to allow enough time for the steel to create a passive layer which is the subject of this study. This time is given to steel in chloride free concrete, naturally; while it should be provided to steel in synthetic pore solution, before adding chloride to the solution. For determining this time, samples were made with steel with different surface conditions: as-received with mill scales and sand-blasted. One set of steel bars (as-received and sand-blasted) were embedded in mortar and one set were immersed in synthetic pore solution. Corrosion of each steel bar was monitored every hour by LPR technique for total time of 300 h. Also, half-cell potential of steel bars was measured during that time. Results show that steel needs to be kept at least three days in synthetic pore solution and seven days in mortar to be passivated.