Monitoring of corrosion in reinforced concrete extends service life

Minimise the risk of corrosion damage by monitoring 

Previously, many structural engineers believed that reinforced concrete structures were maintenance-free.  However, when experiencing delamination, cracking in concrete and corrosion in the underlying steel reinforcement it is clear that various measures are necessary to avoid degradation of a structure.

Understanding these variables would mitigate potential injury or damage to both people and other surrounding structures, while minimising expenditure to cover unforeseen maintenance costs. We can assist you with various options to extend the service life of your concrete structure.

Permanent corrosion monitoring should be part of your maintenance strategy for reinforced concrete structures; in particular, if they are located in an aggressive environment such as near a splash zone with seawater or where de-icing salt is frequently used in the winter.

Furthermore, we recommend installing monitoring systems in structures which are difficult to access and perform periodic inspections before and after construction, such as bridges and tunnels.

With data gathered from permanent corrosion monitoring, you can plan, optimise and implement necessary measures for maintenance to prevent unnecessary degradation of a structure.

Through structural monitoring, the risk of unexpected problems is significantly reduced, while avoiding unnecessary financial exposure to ad hoc decisions.

Probes expose corrosion and extend the service life

To monitor the current state of the reinforcement in a structure we use probes, which have been developed and produced by FORCE Technology.   

We have probes to measure the actual state of corrosion in the reinforcement (ERE 20 reference electrodes) and probes to identify and warn of future corrosion risks (CorroWatch and CorroRisk). 

These probes can be implemented in new concrete structures (ERE 20 and CorroWatch), but also in already existing structures (ERE 20 and CorroRisk).

By installing probes in existing structures, you establish an overview of the actual conditions and state of your reinforcement and based on this information are better equipped to making important structural decisions. 

Through on going assessment of these actual conditions you would be able to choose necessary maintenance measures and when to implement them.

If you have monitored the initiation of corrosion in a steel reinforcement, we recommend that you continue monitoring it with regular intervals to determine its rate of degradation. This monitoring and measurement is ideally determined using our CorroMap equipment. 

If you need to start repair work to minimise the damage caused by initiated reinforcement corrosion you can subsequently use monitoring to evaluate the effect of the repairs.

Monitoring helps you to decide how long it will be safe to keep the structure operating, taking into consideration life cycle analysis, which would also contribute positively to financial and social aspects.

Specialists in monitoring of corrosion in concrete

FORCE Technology is a market specialist in the monitoring of corrosion in concrete structures. We hold a proven track record with extensive customer experience and international research projects of more than 30 years making us front runners in the market. 

We have been engaged with resolving problems with reinforcement corrosion since the end of the 1970s. Our colleagues are pioneers within this field and their work has contributed to the development of new techniques and equipment, which is now being used worldwide. 

Among these techniques we should also  mention EKP (Electrochemical Potential Mapping) and the ERE 20 Manganese Dioxide reference electrode, which is the most reknown probe used for this purpose.

If your problem can be resolved through corrosion monitoring, we can provide a solution. As a GTS company, which is an Advanced Technology Group consisting of nine independent Danish research and technology organisations, we maintain the highest levels of integrity while providing a confidential and impartial service.