Cement paste normally provides a highly alkaline environment that protects embedded steel against corrosion. Concrete with a low water-cement ratio well compacted and well cured, has a low permeability and hence minimizes the penetration of atmospheric moisture as well as other components such as oxygen, chloride ion, carbon dioxide, and water, which encourage corrosion of steel bar.
In very aggressive environments, the bars may be coated with special materials developed for this purpose. Coating on reinforcing steel, therefore, serves as a means of isolating the steel from the surrounding environment. Common metallic coatings contain galvanizing zinc. High chloride concentration around the embedded steel corrodes the zinc coating, followed by corrosion of steel. Hence, this treatment is used for moderately aggressive environments. For high corrosive atmospheres caused by chloride ions from the de-icing salts applied to protect against sodium chloride and calcium chloride, usually near seashores, epoxy coating is applied to protect steel reinforcing bars from corrosion. Such bars have acceptable bond and creep characteristics. The coat normally applied is 150µm thick. The reinforcement is epoxied in the factory itself, where the steel rods are manufactured.
Such reinforcements are known as fusion-bonded epoxy coated steel. Steel manufacturers also manufacture CTD bars with better corrosion resistance, termed corrosion-resistant steel (CRS). The performance of the CRS CTD bons is better in resisting corrosion compared to plain CTD bars. However, the use of CRS CTD bars will only delay the process of corrosion. It will not prevent corrosion once for all.
