THE EFFECT OF ELECTROCHEMICAL REHABILITATION ON SERVICE PERFORMANCE OF REINFORCED CONCRETE STRUCTURES

Reinforced concrete structures subjected to harmful outside ions may be at risk of durability failure. Electrochemical rehabilitation can be applied to improve the durability and prolong the service life of reinforced concrete structures. However, electrochemical treatment may cause side effects such as hydrogen embrittlement, changes in porosity, alkali-aggregate reaction, etc., that lead to changes in the material properties and mechanical properties of the structures and thus influence the service performance. Based on the researches and applications of electrochemical rehabilitation, this paper summarizes the side effects on the material and members caused by electrochemical treatment. The prospect of electrochemical rehabilitation application in improving the durability of reinforced concrete structures is also concluded.