Study of reinforced concrete slabs after three years of cathodic protection under severe conditions

The objective of this study is to determine the influence of cathodic protection on the properties of concrete cover in concrete slabs. To accelerate deterioration, the slabs were subjected to freezing and thawing cycles and sprayed with sodium chloride solution. Cathodic protection was applied to the reinforcements for three years. Then, the test pieces underwent physico-chemical analysis. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray spectrometry were used to study the reinforcement-concrete interface, in particular for detecting alkali-silica reaction due to the alkalization. Carbonation depths, chloride penetration profiles and examinations of the reinforcements showed the good condition of the concrete cover and the beneficial effect of the cathodic protection of embedded steel.