Corrosion initiation time of steel reinforcement for partially saturated concrete members subjected to chloride ingress is investigated at five places along Indian coasts using simplified probabilistic analysis and sensitivity of the parameters to reinforcement corrosion is studied. Previously proposed diffusion based chloride ingress model for constant surface chloride concentration and variable diffusion coefficient is used. Corrosion is initiated when the chloride concentration on steel reinforcement exceeds a threshold value. The various input parameters considered in the model are surface chloride concentration (Cs), chloride threshold value (Cth), Concrete cover (X), reference diffusion coefficient (Dref), age (t), reference age (tref), diffusion decay index (m) and monthly temperature and relative humidity correction factors f(T) and f(h) respectively; to reference diffusion coefficient. For prediction of corrosion initiation time temperature and relative humidity data collected by India metrological Department is used and all other parameters are assumed same. A large variation in corrosion initiation time is found and therefore it becomes necessary to consider the temperature and relative humidity data in a region. Life-365 considers fully saturated condition of concrete and thus underestimates the corrosion initiation time of a reinforced concrete member. The deterministic approach uses mean values of the parameters and provides a 50% probability of corrosion initiation but the probabilistic approach provides expected time of first corrosion for chosen risk of corrosion and also gives sensitivity of parameters to probability of corrosion. Corrosion initiation time in ascending order is found at Colaba, Kanyakumari, Santacruz, Chennai and Vishakhapatnam. Corrosion initiation time is useful for owner, designer, or to an organization to take decision in time of priority of repairs, repair strategy, corrosion protection in order to optimize maintenance planning and budgeting. Planned maintenance at the optimum time is the safest and most cost effective approach.
