Corrosion inhibitive admixtures, chemicals added to the concrete mixture to decrease the corrosion activity of the steel reinforcement, are an easy, cost-effective method for corrosion protection. This paper will review some of the issues related to the corrosion process and to the use of corrosion inhibitive admixtures to extend the service life of steel reinforced structures. The principle cause of corrosion damage to steel reinforced concrete, even high quality concrete, is chloride ion attack. To perform properly an inhibitive admixture must provide protection against chloride induced corrosion. Corrosion inhibitive admixtures provide protection by two mechanisms: (1) a chloride screening mechanism which prolongs the time it takes for chloride to reach the surface of the metal, and (2) an interracial process where protection is provided by decreasing the corrosion activity at the reinforcing steel surface. The classes of admixtures which prolong the time it takes for chlorides to reach the surface of the reinforcing bars are: hydrophobic materials. pozzolanic materials (e.g. silica fume, fly ash, etc.), and superplasticizers. Interracial corrosion inhibitive admixtures provide protection by decreasing the corrosion activity by a thermodynamic or a kinetic process or both. Examples of interracial inhibitors are: nitrite and nitrate salts, chromates, phosphoric acid derivatives, and carboxylic acids. Admixtures which effectively prolong the time it takes chloride to reach the surface of the reinforcing steel have been developed. Likewise. admixtures which provide corrosion protection by decreasing the corrosion activity by a thermodynamic or kinetic protection process at the reinforcing steel surface have also been developed. Admixtures which effectively perform by both a chloride screening and interracial inhibition processes have not been developed. The science and technology of corrosion inhibitive admixtures is a developing area, and as such, universally accepted testing procedures have not been established. For the more recently developed admixtures, long duration field exposure test data are not yet available.
Keywords: Concrete, steel reinforcements, corrosion inhibitive admixtures, chloride induced corrosion, calcium nitrite, nitrates, chromates, superplasticizers, pozzolanic materials, chloride screening, phosphoric acid derivatives, carboxylic acids