Experimental Study of Chloride Ion Diffusion in Reinforced Concrete for Durability Prediction in Marine Environments

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-781-1_4How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Reinforced concrete; corrosion initiation; vertical diffusion; colorimetry; artificial seawater

Abstract

Reinforced concrete is the primary material used in coastal and marine infrastructure but is highly susceptible to chloride ion (Cl⁻) diffusion, which accelerates reinforcement corrosion and shortens service life. This study experimentally investigates the vertical diffusion of chloride ions in reinforced concrete exposed to simulated seawater, with a focus on the effects of gravitational and convective transport. Eighteen cylindrical specimens (Ø75 × 150 mm) with embedded steel reinforcement and a 37.5 mm concrete cover were immersed in a 3.5% NaCl solution for 5–30 days. Chloride diffusion was determined using the AgNO₃ colorimetric method (0.1 M) in accordance with BS EN 14629:2007, and diffusion depth was quantified via digital image analysis using ImageJ software. The results revealed four distinct phases of chloride diffusion: (a) initial linear growth (5–15 days), (b) sharp exponential increase (17–21 days), (c) temporary stabilization (21–24 days), and (d) further increase beyond 22 mm at 30 days. Vertical diffusion progressed more rapidly due to gravitational and convective mechanisms, indicating higher risks in splash zones and wet–dry transition regions. These findings indicate that chloride ion diffusion in the vertical and horizontal directions exhibits distinct transport mechanisms in reinforced concrete. Therefore, these directional diffusion parameters should be explicitly considered in the formulation of service-life prediction models for concrete.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Herdi Susanto
AU  - Syarizal Fonna
AU  - Nurdin Ali
AU  - Muttaqin
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/30
TI  - Experimental Study of Chloride Ion Diffusion in Reinforced Concrete for Durability Prediction in Marine Environments
BT  - Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Applied Engineering, Sciences, Technology and Innovation (AESTI 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 15
EP  - 24
SN  - 2352-5401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-781-1_4
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-781-1_4
ID  - Susanto2026
ER  -