Development of a numerical simulation model considering the voltage drops within CP anode systems in RC structures

Cathodic protection (CP) can be used as an electrochemical repair and protection method for reinforced concrete (RC) structures. It often provides technical and economic advantages versus conventional repair methods for numerous boundary conditions. Hence, the application of CP is recently considered for repair measures with complicated arrangements of reinforcement or geometries. In these cases, the common design guidelines and criteria for CP applications may fail or lead to erroneous results. The numerical prediction of the current and potential distribution within the structure can then be used for design purposes. The modeling procedure for CP differs from those for galvanic corrosion by existence of an additional CP anode system. Especially in Impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) systems the discretization of the CP anode has a significant impact on the modeling procedure and its results. In this paper, a novel approach is proposed and compared to existing approaches for relevant parameters including concrete resistivities by means of parametrical studies.