Comparative Study of Flexural Behavior of Corroded Beams with Different Types of Steel Bars

An experimental study is proposed to compare the corrosion-induced flexural behavior deterioration of beams with various bar types and bar diameters. The proposed study aims to distinguish the effects of the corrosion of different rebars on the flexural behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams. Twenty-two RC beams were designed and four variables were considered: the type and the diameter of reinforcement, corrosion loss, and concrete cover. Corrosion was induced in the laboratory using an accelerated corrosion technique. The corrosion-induced strength loss for two types of steel bars is discussed. Extensive statistical analysis is performed to compare the flexural performance of beams with different rebars. The experimental results show that (1) corrosion has a more significant effect on the flexural behavior deterioration in beams with smooth rebars than in beams with deformed rebars; (2) the corrosion-induced performance deterioration has a monotonic decreasing relationship with reinforcement size; and (3) large-diameter steel bars are more appropriate for structural safety. (C) 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.