Evaluating steel corrosion and concrete deterioration for improved and sustainable urban development in acid sulfate soils

Acid sulfate (AS) soils, common in the Finnish coastal areas and globally, challenge civil construction stability. Soil acidification and microbial activities can degrade the durability of reinforced concrete structures, while the degradation mechanisms and role of microbes are not well understood. COMPASS aims to evaluate steel corrosion and concrete deterioration associated with the chemical and microbial conditions in AS soils and develop modelling tools predicting the lifespan of concrete structures. A more comprehensive understanding of how AS soils impact reinforced concrete will be developed and the effective mitigation strategies will be identified. This multi-disciplinary approach will address end-user needs by providing assessment tools for civil engineering structures. The research consortium, consisting of young researchers from VTT and GTK, will adopt multidisciplinary expert perspectives and contribute innovative knowledge on sustainable urban development in AS soils.

contact: Yushan Gu