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iSPEAC Seminar: A reactive transport perspective on steel corrosion in concrete and the (hidden) link to climate change

March 31 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

iSPEAC Mar , Ueli Angst

Corrosion of reinforcing steel is the most common cause of premature degradation of reinforced concrete structures, giving rise to large economic costs and imposing safety risks.

Additionally, the construction sector is among the most important contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, the environmental impact is becoming an increasingly important consideration in the design of new and the maintenance of ageing structures. New, environmentally benign cementitious materials are being developed at rapid pace, particularly low-clinker or clinker-free cements. While these innovations offer various benefits, they also raise important questions about ensuring the long-term durability of the structures built with them.

This seminar sheds light on challenges arising from these transitions in reinforced concrete technology, with a particular focus on steel corrosion. The conflict between the prevailing paradigm, deeply ingrained in the minds of scholars and engineers to ensure corrosion-related durability, and achieving climate goals is discussed. Recent scientific advancements related to the chemistry and transport of iron in porous media are presented and opportunities for the development of next-generation predictive models and new concepts to ensure the durability of our built reinforced concrete infrastructure are highlighted.
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Prof. Dr. Ueli M. Angst will be hosted by Dr. Irena Creed for this iSPEAC Seminar.

This is a hybrid event and will occur both in-person and online. Refreshments will be served at 10:45 AM. the seminar will occur from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.  (EST, Toronto time)

  • In person: Room 140, Environmental Science and Chemistry Building,
    University of Toronto Scarborough, 1065 Military Trail, Scarborough, ON, Canada, M1C 1A4
    Note: Seating is limited to 35 guests.

 

About the Speaker

Ueli Angst is an associate professor at ETH Zurich, leading the research group on Durability of Engineering Materials at the Institute for Building Materials. Prof. Angst is committed to provide fundamental insight into corrosion mechanisms and their effects on structural behavior. Additionally, research focuses on developing advanced non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques and sensors for monitoring, alongside innovative inspection methods that leverage robotics and artificial intelligence, as well as strategies for corrosion mitigation. His research group uses experimental and computational methods covering corrosion science, electrochemistry, materials science, porous media and reactive mass transport, and civil engineering. U. Angst is co-founder of the spinoff DuraMon (www.duramon.ch) that offers sensor solutions to monitor the durability and corrosion state of reinforced concrete.

About iSPEAC

iSPEAC (invited Speakers in Physics, Environmental science, And Chemistry) is the Department of Physical and Environmental Science’s invited speaker series, which covers topics and is delivered by external experts and academics in physics, environmental science, and chemistry. Speakers from near and far are invited to share their cutting-edge research with an interdisciplinary audience of students, faculty and staff. The series is co-sponsored by the Department of Physical and Environmental Science, and the Office of the Vice-Principal Research at UTSC.

Details

Date:
March 31
Time:
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Venue

Online and in-person