INTRODUCTION

Reinforced concrete structures are usually durable in average environments, but their integrity can be compromised when exposed to carbonation or other environments such as chloride salts. [1] These environments reduce the potential service life of reinforced concrete structures and increase maintenance costs. A number of options exist for prolonging the life of concrete structures exposed to aggressive environments, and corrosion inhibitors are among these options. While corrosion inhibitors are available and have been used for increasing the protectiveness of concrete in new construction, [2] the focus of this report is on the reduction of corrosion in existing structures. The corrosion of existing concrete structures is estimated to be approximately US$ 8.3 billion per year for highway bridges alone, [3] and there are many other types of concrete structures that are also exposed to corrosion (Figure 1) .[4]

Figure 1-Corroded reinforced concrete seawall showing cracking and rust stains.

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