콘크리트는 우수하고 뛰어난 내구성에 의해 구조물 건설에 가장 많이 사용되는 재료 중 하나이다. 오늘날 급격한 경제의 발전 및 도시화 등에 의해 오늘날 구조물은 대형화 및 고층화되고 있다. 이에 따라 고강도, 고경량, 고내구 콘크리트 개발에 대한 다양한 연구가 진행되고 있다. 특히 나노소재가 첨 가된 콘크리트는 나노소재에 의해 미세공극이 충진되어 강도 및 내구성이 우수한 것으로 알려져있다. 그러나 기존 나노소재가 적용된 콘크리트는 단위중량이 높아 이를 구조물에 적용시 자중을 증가시키 는 단점이 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 입자 직경이 10-100 μm이지만 입자 내부의 공극이 있어 단위 중량이 0.6t/m3인 Micro hollow sphere가 잔골재로 사용된 고경량, 고강도 콘크리트의 염화물 침투 특성을 평가하였다. 본 연구에서 사용된 실험변수로써 Micro hollow sphere의 잔골재 치환량(0%, 42%, 100%)가 고려되었으며, 이 시편의 단위중량은 각각 2.37 t/m3, 1.89 t/m3, 1.62 t/m3이다. Micro hollow sphere가 사용된 콘크리트의 염화물 침투 특성은 NT-Build 492 시험을 통해 평가되었다. 실 험결과 Micro hollow sphere 치환율이 0%, 42%, 100%인 실험체의 단위중량은 염화이온 확산계수는 각각 4.45 x10-13 m2/s, 2.57 x10-13 m2/s, 1.4x10-13 m2/s로 Micro hollow sphere 치환량이 증 가함에 따라 염화이온 침투 저항성이 증가하는 것으로 확인되었다. 따라서, Micro hollow sphere를 이용한다면 단위중량이 작으며 내구성이 큰 고경량, 고내구 콘크리트 배합이 가능할 것으로 판단된다.

Chloride is one of the most common threats to reinforced concrete (RC) durability. Alkaline environment of concrete makes a passive layer on the surface of reinforcement bars that prevents the bar from corrosion. However, when the chloride concentration amount at the reinforcement bar reaches a certain level, deterioration of the passive protection layer occurs, causing corrosion and ultimately reducing the structure’s safety and durability. Therefore, understanding the chloride diffusion and its prediction are important to evaluate the safety and durability of RC structure. In this study, the chloride diffusion coefficient is predicted by machine learning techniques. Various machine learning techniques such as multiple linear regression, decision tree, random forest, support vector machine, artificial neural networks, extreme gradient boosting annd k-nearest neighbor were used and accuracy of there models were compared. In order to evaluate the accuracy, root mean square error (RMSE), mean square error (MSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and coefficient of determination (R2) were used as prediction performance indices. The k-fold cross-validation procedure was used to estimate the performance of machine learning models when making predictions on data not used during training. Grid search was applied to hyperparameter optimization. It has been shown from numerical simulation that ensemble learning methods such as random forest and extreme gradient boosting successfully predicted the chloride diffusion coefficient and artificial neural networks also provided accurate result.

In the flux used in the batch galvanizing process, the effect of the component ratio of NH₄Cl to ZnCl₂ on the microstructure, coating adhesion, and corrosion resistance of Zn-Mg-Al ternary alloy-coated steel is evaluated. Many defects such as cracks and bare spots are formed inside the Zn-Mg-Al coating layer during treatment with the flux composition generally used for Zn coating. Deterioration of the coating property is due to the formation of AlClx mixture generated by the reaction of Al element and chloride in the flux. The coatability of the Zn-Mg-Al alloy coating is improved by increasing the content of ZnCl2 in the flux to reduce the amount of chlorine reacting with Al while maintaining the flux effect and the coating adhesion is improved as the component ratio of NH4Cl to ZnCl2 decreases. Zn-Mg-Al alloy-coated steel products treated with the optimized flux composition of NH₄Cl•3ZnCl₂ show superior corrosion resistance compared to Zn-coated steel products, even with a coating weight of 60 %.

Hydrogen evolution on a steel surface and subsequent hydrogen diffusion into the steel matrix are evaluated using an electrochemical permeation test with no applied cathodic current on the hydrogen charging side. In particular, cyclic operation in the permeation test is also conducted to clarify the corrosion-induced hydrogen evolution behavior. In contrast to the conventional perception that the cathodic reduction reaction on the steel in neutral aqueous environments is an oxygen reduction reaction, this study demonstrates that atomic hydrogen may be generated on the steel surface by the corrosion reaction, even in a neutral environment. Although a much lower permeation current density and significant slower diffusion kinetics of hydrogen are observed compared to the results measured in acidic environments, they contribute to the increase in the embrittlement index. This study suggests that the research on hydrogen embrittlement in ultra-strong steels should be approached from the viewpoint of corrosion reactions on the steel surface and subsequent hydrogen evolution/diffusion behavior.

Hot-press forming(HPF) steel can be applied successfully to auto parts because of its superior mechanical properties. However, its resistances to aqueous corrosion and the subsequent hydrogen embrittlement(HE) decrease significantly when the steel is exposed to corrosive environments. Considering that the resistances are greatly dependent on the properties of coating materials formed on the steel surface, the characteristics of the corrosion and hydrogen diffusion behaviors regarding the types of coating material should be clearly understood. Electrochemical polarization and impedance measurements reveal a higher corrosion potential and polarization resistance and a lower corrosion current of the Al-coating compared with Zn-coating. Furthermore, it was expected that the diffusion kinetics of the hydrogen atoms would be much slower in the Al-coating, and this would be due mainly to the much lower diffusion coefficient of hydrogen in the Al-coating with a face-centered cubic structure. The superior surface inhibiting effect of the Al-coating, however, is degraded by the formation of local cracks in the coated layer under severe stress conditions, and therefore further study will be necessary to gain a clearer understanding of the effect of cracks formed on the coated layer on the subsequent corrosion and hydrogen diffusion behaviors.

본 연구에서는 남해안에 건설된 사용기간이 5~34년의 해상 콘크리트 교량의 염화물이온농도에 대한 실측데이터로부터 표면 염화물이온농도를 추정하고, 기존에 제시된 시방서와 타 연구결과에서 제시한 값들의 타당성을 평가하였다. 그리고 해상 콘크리트 교량의 염해방지도장의 유무, 염화물이온농도, 탄산화 깊이 및 콘크리트 압축강도의 상관관계를 도출하여 상호 작용을 평가하였다. 연구결과에 의하면, 표면염화물이온농도는 간만대에서 KCI 2009, 물보라지역과 해상대기중에서 Cheong et al.(2005)의 제안한 값이 타당한 것으로 판단된다. 또한, 해상 콘크리트 교량의 염해방지도장은 염화물이온의 침투, 탄산화 깊이 및 압축강도 저하 대한 방지효과가 있음을 알 수 있었다. 콘크리트의 압축 강도는 탄산화 깊이와 염화물이온농도의 증가에 따라 감소하였다.