Effect of pulsed electric current treatment on the corrosion and strength of reinforcing steel

The study was carried out in order to evaluate the effect of the pulsed electric current (PEC) treatment on the corrosion as well as on static strength of Polish reinforcing steel. Asreceived St3SX was used for investigations. Two kinds of specimens were manufactured by turning from 20 mm diameter re-bars: cylinders of 10 mm diameter and 28 mm length for corrosion tests and standard cylindrical specimens of 6 mm diameter and 30 mm length for static tension tests. Corrosion tests was performed according to the ASTM B117-97 standard. As-received steel tensile specimens and the specimens after PEC treatment were tested using a servo-hydraulic universal testing machine at the strain rate of 10 -2 s -1.