Corroded TempCore® vs dual-phase steel reinforcing bars

The paper summarizes the results of an experimental test campaign on enhanced reinforcing grades provided by Dual-Phase (DP) microstructure, compared to TempCore®. The DP improvement mainly concerns durability: due to their ‘mixed’ microstructure, DP steels are less affected by corrosion. Accelerated corrosion tests and mechanical tests on corroded samples were performed, using two different techniques (salt-spray chamber and impressed current density). Results highlight how different corrosion procedures can affect results, even if conclusions remain the same: DP steel bars result to be less sensitive to corrosion, showing a smaller decrease in ductility compared to TempCore bars. No relevant influence is revealed on strength performance and cyclic behaviour.