Abstract: Aims: This presentation is about the chloride ions diffusion in sound and cracked reinforced concrete (RC) structures under external environmental actions and loadings. The diffusion of chloride ions in RC structures varies in space and time, depending on a variety of uncertain factors such as surface and inner concentration of chloride in concrete, water/concrete ratio, volume fraction of coarse aggregate, temperature, aging, humidity, deformation, damage. Considering all these factors, it would be possible to estimate more reliable scenarios for short and large periods.

Methods: The purpose of this presentation is to show some advanced methods for this issue, e.g. modified analytical analyses, numerical analyses, dynamic models, probabilistic analyses, non-linear models. Alternative methods are also shown as (i) the use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for monitoring the chloride concentration and the (ii) self-diffusion voltage distortions due to other multispecies in concrete.

Results: Results, in terms of scenarios, would define the corrosion initiation time and chloride ions content in concrete. In this sense, it is possible to quantify a new service life for RC structures. Results show that the chloride content for constant diffusivity poorly estimates the chloride content.

Conclusions: All these aspects should be accounted for estimating the concentration of the chloride ions in concrete and its trend. This strictly relates to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – 2030 Agenda, that is, to “build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”.

Acknowledgements: The author thanks the institutions that have supported his research: University of Salamanca (USAL), Spain; State University of São Paulo (UNESP), Brazil; University of São Paulo (USP); Iberian-American University Postgraduate Association (AUIP); Itecons, Coimbra, Portugal.

Biography: Dr. Enrico Zacchei received his PhD from University of Salamanca, in co-tutorship with University of São Paulo (USP), in Structures. 2º PhD from University State of São Paulo (UNESP) in Structures. Master/bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from University of Roma Tre. He held 12 grants/scholarships, 3 of which for stays at USP (2.5 years), UNESP (8 months), University of Malaga (UMA), Spain (9 months). He is the Special Issue Editor of Infrastructures journal. Reviewer of Web of Science (WoS) journals. Technical committee member of congresses. Researcher in the group "Experimental dynamic analysis of structures" at USP. 12 years of technical/scientific experience in international companies/institutes. 16 technical projects (14 large projects) and 7 funded research projects (5 more than 500k euro). Coordinator of 3 projects. More than 15 papers published in high impact journals (WoS, Scopus). More than 25 participations/presentations at congresses. Currently he is a Senior Engineer and Investigator at Itecons Institute, Portugal. His research mainly focusses on Numerical Solutions, Design of RC and Steel Structures, Earthquake Engineering, Dynamic Analyses, etc.