Development of sensors for checking corrosion processes in reinforced concrete

Argentina's National Atomic Energy Commission is responsible for developing a program for the management of radioactive wastes. This program includes, among other activities, the design and construction of a facility for the final disposal of half-life radioactive wastes. The model consists of the use of multiple, redundant and independent barriers, including the container and its cover made of reinforced concrete. The useful life of these structures should be over 300 years, and to meet this requirement, quantitative information is needed about the coating properties and threshold values at the start of the corrosive process. This work presents the development of corrosion sensors for the on-line measurement of the corrosion potential, the corrosion current density of the structures, the flow of oxygen in the structures, the concrete's electrical resistance, its chloride content and the structure's internal temperature. These sensors, duly installed in a structure, check on the corrosive process. With this data the final design of the container can be prepared that will last as long or longer than that foreseen for this type of facility (CW)