In this paper, electrodeposition method for repair of cracked reinforced concrete, based on the electrochemical technique, is presented. Electrodeposition means precipitation of material on the surface of an electrode by electrolysis. The aim of electrodeposition in a concrete repair method is to fill the cracks in concrete and to coat the concrete surface by electrodeposits of chemical compounds. Investigations on concrete specimens with drying-shrinkage cracks were conducted in this study. The specimens were immersed in a solution, then a constant current between the embedded steel in concrete and an electrode in the solution was applied for 2 weeks. The degree of crack closure and the amount of surface coating from the precipitation of electrodeposits were checked. The results indicate that electrodeposits formed on the concrete surface are able to close concrete cracks and to coat the concrete surface. In addition, the investigations show that the presence of electrodeposits led to improvement of the concrete watertightness and protection against detrimental materials. Therefore, it is considered that the electrodeposition method can be usefully applied as a repair technique for concrete with shrinkage cracks.
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