Protezione catodica e prevenzione catodica

Electrochemical techniques can be used to control or to stop reinforcement corrosion in concrete structures. These techniques, through the circulation of a direct current, induce a reduction in the reinforcement potential and restore, or maintain, passivity on the steel bars. In the structures cathodic prevention can be used, as an additional prevention technique, to prevent reinforcement corrosion. On existing structures that are already affected by corrosion the use of cathodic protection can be taken into account to stop corrosion propagation. In this paper the principles of these techniques, their application, the advantages and possible problems related to their use are described.