Status Report on anchor corrosion experiments

This status report summarizes the experimental test program of anchor corrosion tests. Studied variables were degradation i.e. general, pitting, and stress corrosion; steel grade i.e. ordinary, galvanised, and stainless steel; anchor type i.e. expansion (wedge), undercut, and bonded (chemical, adhesive) anchors; exposure i.e. carbonated, chlorides, and stress state. Design and construction of the experimental test program started based on the literature study (WP3 Assessing steel liner and anchor corrosion, Task 3.1 Literature study - Corrosion of steel liners and anchors in concrete), continuing with ‘Report on experimental setup of anchor corrosion tests’ (Task 3.3.3 Anchor corrosion experiments).

The study is focused on the chemical composition of steel material and anchor types used based on the received answers from NPP utilities. Furthermore, the scope is especially on the propagation stage of corrosion. The test specimens are concrete prisms that involve loaded steel anchors all the time during the test. The corrosion experiments will be accelerated by various means, e.g., additions of chlorides, accelerated carbonation, wetting and drying cycle, in order to obtain detectable effects within the limited timeframe of the project. In-situ measurements will be conducted during the experiments, mechanical and structural examinations will be carried out after the experiments. The status report presents the progress of the experiments carried out in year 2020. The details of the experimental setup, materials and methods are described in this status report.