Carbonation and Carbonation-Induced Corrosion in Steel-Cementitious Systems with SCMs

Increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration and temperature will likely lead to faster carbonation (reduction in pH), especially in concrete with Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs). The lower carbonatable content (amount of Ca(OH)2) in concrete with SCMs leads to a higher carbonation rate. It increases the probability of early onset of Carbonation Induced Corrosion (CIC) in Reinforced Concrete (RC) systems. The early initiation of CIC could lead to serviceability issues, affecting the overall sustainability of the RC system. Therefore, there is a need to understand the effect of various parameters influencing CIC and develop concrete with SCMs having higher resistance to CIC.