Dependency of pitting corrosion spatial variability on crack pattern of prestressed concrete members

The assessment of the residual life of corroded concrete structures is strategic to plan maintenance activities and to limit sudden collapses. However, limited works investigate the uncertainties in the correlation between the damage induced by corrosion and the structural resistance of members. The present work studies several strands retrieved from naturally corroded prestressed concrete beams subjected to chloride-induced corrosion. Firstly, the surface defects were mapped, and indirect measurements of corrosion were performed. Then, 3D-models of corroded strands were developed and GOM Inspect software was adopted to measure pit depths. Finally, an experimental correlation between the pitting corrosion spatial variability of strands and splitting cracking of concrete, expressed in terms of maximum pit depth and number of pits per meter, is proposed.