Reference Electrodes
A common method of assessing the corrosion state of reinforcing steel is to measure the steel potential using a reference electrode.
CPT manufactures reference electrodes, which are buried small holes, formed in the concrete surface. They can then be used to measure the steel potential either manually, using a high impedance voltmeter, using a datalogger or remotely using a cellular phone link.
Reference electrodes offer significant advantages versus conventional electrodes as they are based on a manganese oxide composition:
- High surface area prevents loss of contact with host concrete
- Chloride free – no release of aggressive salts
- Excellent polarisation characteristics – stable potential when current is drawn
- Compact unit facilitates simple installation