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The risk of hydrogen embrittlement in high‐strength prestressing steels under cathodic protection
Author(s) -
Isecke Bernd,
Mietz Jürgen
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
steel research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1869-344X
pISSN - 0177-4832
DOI - 10.1002/srin.199300989
Subject(s) - cathodic protection , hydrogen embrittlement , materials science , passivation , corrosion , embrittlement , metallurgy , hydrogen , prestressed concrete , alkalinity , composite material , chemistry , electrochemistry , electrode , organic chemistry , layer (electronics)
High strength prestressing steels in prestressed concrete structures are protected against corrosion due to passivation resulting from the high alkalinity of the concrete. If depassivation of the prestressing steel occurs due to the ingress of chlorides the corrosion risk can be minimized by application of cathodic protection with impressed current. The risk of hydrogen embrittlement of the prestressing steel is especially pronounced if overprotection is applied due to hydrogen evolution in the cathodic reaction. The present work considers this risk by hydrogen activity measurements under practical conditions and application of different levels of cathodic protection potentials. Information on threshold potentials in prestressed concrete structures is provided, too.