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Received: February 09, 2017; Revised: February 09, 2017; Accepted: April 20, 2017
Abstract: Zinc coating on carbon steels give the higher corrosion resistance in chloride containing environments and in carbonated concrete. However, hydrogen evolution accompanies the corrosion of zinc in the initial activity in fresh concrete, which can lead to the formation of a porous structure at the reinforcement -concrete interface, which can potentially reduce the bond-strength of the reinforcement with concrete. The present study examines the mechanism of the corrosion of hot-dip galvanized steel in detail, as in the model pore solutions and real concrete. Calcium ion plays an important role in the corrosion mechanism, as it prevents the formation of passive layers on zinc at an elevated alkalinity. The corrosion rate of galvanized steel decreases in accordance with the exposure time; however, the reason for this is not the zinc transition into passivity, but the consumption of the less corrosion-resistant phases of hot-dip galvanizing in the concrete environment. The results on the electrochemical tests have been confirmed by the bond-strength test for the reinforcement of concrete and by evaluating the porosity of the cement adjacent to the reinforcement.