Influence of artificial cracks and interfacial defects on the corrosion behavior of steel in concrete during corrosion initiation under a chloride environment

In this study, the effect of both artificial crack and defects of the steel-concrete interface on the initiation and propagation of steel reinforcement corrosion in concrete under a chloride environment is investigated. This work was based on two groups of reinforced concrete blocks, with or without artificial crack. The microstructures of the steel-concrete interface, the cement hydration products at the steel-concrete interface, the chloride...