A Review on the Properties of Steel-Concrete Interface and Characterization Methods

The Steel-Concrete interface (SCI) is usually regarded as the weakest region, which influences both mechanical properties and durability of reinforced concrete structures. Several researchers have well explored and defined the importance of SCI on the service life of the reinforced concrete structures as it directly affects the durability. The primary objective of this paper is to report and compare a variety of published findings and microstructural analysis on the SCI in one place which appears in reinforced concrete. The information available on the occurrence, formation, properties, various characterizing and analysing techniques of SCI are reviewed for a better understanding of microstructural properties of SCI on the hardened and durability properties of reinforced concrete. It was found that the SCI exhibits significant spatial inhomogeneity along and around as well as perpendicular to the reinforcing steel. Significant factors like quantification of porosity, porous zone thickness and actions that affect the properties of SCI like wall effect, bleeding, settlement and segregation of fresh concrete which were favourable to both initiation and propagation of corrosion are described in this paper. The influence of w/c ratio, hydration age, steel orientation and mineral admixtures on the distribution profiles of hydration products and Engineering properties of SCI is also discussed.