Protocol development for intelligent monitoring of concrete corrosion in marine environments

Early corrosion detection is crucial to reduce the risk of structural damage, emphasising the need for effective corrosion monitoring techniques.

Despite decades of research, there is still a lack of understanding about the underlying mechanisms of the initiation and propagation of steel reinforcement corrosion, as well as the damage it causes to structures in marine environments. While the recent emergence of sensor-based corrosion monitoring techniques is a promising development, their feasibility and durability are still subject for debate.

The project seeks to develop a new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-supported corrosion monitoring tool that is applicable for both existing and new reinforced concrete structures in marine environments. Curtin University, alongside Fremantle Ports, Southern Ports, Macquarie University, Parchem Construction Supplies, Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), and The Trustee for Vinsi Partners Unit Trust, is set to create novel test protocols for evaluating corrosion resistance in new construction materials, coatings, and corrosion inhibitors. The project also involves the development of wireless Chloride and pH sensors with long-range communication capabilities and Machine Learning algorithms to monitor corrosion using sensory data in marine reinforced concrete structures.

PROJECT PARTNERS

• Fremantle Ports,
• Southern Ports,
• Macquarie University,
• Parchem Construction Supplies ,
• Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI),
• The Trustee for Vinsi Partners Unit Trust