The protective efficiency of galvanizing against corrosion of steel in mortar and in Ca(oH)2 saturated solutions containing chlorides

The behaviour of galvanized steel in Ca(OH)2 saturated solutions containing either no additives, chloride or chloride plus nitrite has been studied. The behaviour of galvanized steel in mortar specimens containing the same types of additives has been simultaneously analysed. The results show that the critical chloride threshold for galvanized steel is higher than that for bare steel before the transition from the passive to the active state takes place. However, protective films formed in the absence of chloride are not able to maintain steel passivity in a Ca(OH)2 saturated solution containing 2% Cl-. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.