The application of Ag/AgCl electrodes as chloride sensors in cementitious materials

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Abstract

Determination of the chloride content in a reinforced concrete structure is important for evaluation of the risk of chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcement. The traditional techniques for chloride determination in concrete are laborious, time-consuming and cannot be used for continuous monitoring of the chloride content. The investigation on the use of Ag/AgCl electrodes as chloride sensors in cement-based materials dates back to 1990s. Interpretation of the sensor’s response in cementitious materials requires the knowledge of chloride sensor’s characteristics and the interaction between the sensor and the surrounding medium. Hence, the stability of the chloride sensor’s response in cementitious materials depends on the properties of Ag/AgCl interface, AgCl/cement paste interface and the pore solution composition of cementitious materials. The influence of these factors on the stability of the sensor’s response was studied in this thesis. In Chapter 1 the background and motivation for the thesis were presented. In Chapter 2 the advantages and drawbacks of available test methods for determination of the chloride content in cementitious materials were explained.