During a Brite/Euram Project several European partners developed and produced an integrated monitoring system. So the inspection and maintenance costs and the traffic impairments can be reduced. One part of this project was concerned with evaluation of portable techniques for evaluation of reinforcement corrosion. During this work a newly developed, hand held, easily to handle, portable equipment based on the galvanostatic pulse method (GPM) was developed. This paper deals with the results and analysis of the GPM measurements performed on a highway-bridge exposed to de-icing salts as well as the results of laboratory tests. Results of average corrosion rates determined by weight loss and galvanostatic pulse technique were compared. Special attention was paid on the comparability of instrument readings to real behavior. Finally the necessary precautions which need to be taken when the on site data are used for life prediction of structures are discussed.
Keywords: Galvanostatic Pulse, Portable Equipment, Corrosion Risk, Chloride Induced Corrosion, Reinforced and Prestressed Concrete Structures