Effects of Recycled and Supplemented Cementitious Materials on Corrosion Resistance and Mechanical Properties in Reinforced Concrete

Reinforced concrete is the most widely utilized building material for bridges, buildings, and other infrastructure components, and its longevity is significantly influenced by corrosion or rust. Corrosion shortens reinforced concrete’s service life and safety, which raises maintenance expenses. Concrete is a porous material that allows air and water to pass through, and corrosion begins when the air and water reach the steel. This study evaluated the mechanical and corrosion resistance properties of reinforced concrete containing recycled and supplemented cementitious materials. The results showed that mixtures containing fine glass aggregate, glass powder, slag, fly ash, or silica fume significantly improved the compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths, but the 10% slag mix, and 5% glass aggregate with 10% glass powder with 10% fly ash mix produced the best results overall. In addition, the mixture containing 15% fly ash produced the best result against corrosion. The corrosion tests revealed that mixtures with 10% slag and 20% glass powder also significantly enhanced the corrosion resistance of steel with the same results, confirming their effectiveness in reducing the permeability and increasing the durability of reinforced concrete.