This paper presents results on the electrochemical behavior of reinforcing steel bar (commonly called rebar) embedded in concrete fabricated with natural additions such as dehydrated nopal (prickly pear) and aloe vera. Ten concrete prisms reinforced with two #3 rebars were exposed to wet-dry cycles for 60 days. Two concrete specimens without such additions served as controls. Two identical concrete specimens were fabricated with both 1% and 2% nopal and aloe vera as cement replacements. Four were the stages evaluated: curing, first stabilization, three consecutive wet-dry cycles, and second stabilization. Half cell potentials and Linear Polarization Resistance (LPR) measurements were performed during the four stages. Electrochemical data indicated that the concrete mixture prepared with both nopal and aloe vera, increased the concrete resistivity and the steel resistance against corrosion. The preliminary findings suggest that adding nopal or aloe vera in such concentrations might be suitable for durability enhancing applications in concrete structures.

Subject
Rebar, Corrosion initiation, Calcium, Mortar, Mixtures, Electrical resistivity, Steel, Cement, Corrosion resistance, Linear polarization resistance, Chlorides, Half cell potential, Concrete
Keywords:
Aloe vera, concrete additions, half cell potential, liner polarization resistance, nopal, steel reinforcement
© 2005 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
2005
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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