The corrosion damage in reinforced concrete structures, cause enormous economic losses worldwide. Concrete structures in oceanic ports and piers are exposed to a series of physical and chemical processes that can cause the rapid deterioration of both concrete and steel rebars. Such structures must receive special attention by performing periodic assessments of their structural integrity and by installing cathodic protection systems. The present paper describes the sequence used to evaluate the corrosion of a reinforced concrete structure that crowned the sheet piling of the commercial pier of Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala. Repair and corrosion protection methods and strategies are also described.
Corrosion of steel reinforcing bars (rebars) in concrete structures is one of the most significant maintenance and repair challenges faced by civil engineers. Chloride ion contamination, carbonation, Alkali-Silica Reaction, and reaction with sulfate species are the most common forms of concrete deterioration that can increase corrosion risk on reinforcing steel bars inside concrete structures. Using epoxy coated steel rebars, and special concrete mixture compositions can significantly reduce corrosion risks. But when the structures are already built, a common way of protecting the steel rebars is the installation of cathodic protection systems.Concrete structures in oceanic ports and piers are especially prone to corrosion. They are exposed to a series of physical and chemical processes that can cause the rapid deterioration of both concrete and steel rebars. Such structures must therefore receive special attention by performing periodic assessments of their structural integrity and by installing cathodic protection systems. Concerned about visible deterioration of a reinforced concrete structure that crowned the sheet piling of the commercial pier of Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala, Empresa Portuaria Quetzal, responsible for operation and maintenance of the commercial port, asked for engineering services for repairing and protecting the damaged concrete structure. Following standards from ASTM International (American Society for Testing and Materials),2,3 NACE International (National Association of Corrosion Engineers) and the ICRI (International Concrete Repair Institute),4,5,6 diagnostic and repair procedures were implemented on the damaged concrete structure. In addition, corrosion protection systems were designed and installed in order to avoid further deterioration of the reinforcing metal bars of the reinforced concrete in question.
Quetzal Marine Terminal, located on the pacific coast of Guatemala (13o 55'' N, 90o 47'' W), was built from 1980 to 1984 in order to satisfy the urgent need of a modern port for import/export activities at the Pacific Ocean route. The terminal is managed by the state owned company “Empresa Portuaria Quetzal” and it is considered one of the main ports in Guatemala due to the large import-export volumes. The whole complex has 835.15 hectares, divided into 10 zones involving general port activities, cargo storage, commercial and industrial development areas, administration buildings, and other services. Its strategic geographic localization allows it to serve the Pacific Basin and the West Coast of the American Continent, and because its nearness to the Panama channel, it can be accessed from any place around the world.
