Durability benefits of galvanized steel in reinforced concrete under different exposure conditions

This paper is a short review of the work performed for many years at the Polytechnic University of Marche on the use of hot-dip galvanized steel rebars in reinforced concrete, for increasing its durability without significantly impairing the installation costs. Corrosion research was done in traditional cementitious matrixes and in geopolymeric ones. Compared to black steel rebars, these studies clearly show that passivation of galvanized steel ones plays a key role on their protection, when exposed to severe conditions: contamination of chlorides (higher concentration thresholds before the onset of localized corrosion) and/or carbonation (formation of a new passive layer).