Techno Press
Techno Press

Structural Engineering and Mechanics
  Volume 52, Number 1, October10 2014 , pages 035-49
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/sem.2014.52.1.035
 


A study of deterioration of reinforced concrete beams under various forms of simulated acid rain attack in the laboratory
Yingfang Fan, Zhiqiang Hu, Haiyang Luan, Dawei Wang and An Chen

 
Abstract
    This paper studies the behaviour of deteriorated reinforced concrete (RC) beams attacked by various forms of simulated acid rain. An artificial rainfall simulator was firstly designed and evaluated. Eleven RC beams (120 mmx200 mmx1800 mm) were then constructed in the laboratory. Among them, one was acting as a reference beam and the others were subjected to three accelerated corrosion methods, including immersion, wetting-drying, and artificial rainfall methods, to simulate the attack of real acid rain. Acid solutions with pH levels of 1.5 and 2.5 were considered. Next, ultrasonic, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic, and three-point bending tests were performed to investigate the mechanical properties of concrete and flexural behaviour of the RC beams. It can be concluded that the designed artificial simulator can be effectively used to simulate the real acid rainfall. Both the immersion and wetting-drying methods magnify the effects of the real acid rainfall on the RC beams.
 
Key Words
    acid deposition; reinforced concrete beam; deterioration; flexural strength; corrosion depth
 
Address
Yingfang Fan, Haiyang Luan, Dawei Wang: Institute of Road and Bridge Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China
Zhiqiang Hu: School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China
An Chen: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Idaho, Idaho 441022, USA
 

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