Cement and Concrete Research

Dissolved oxygen in pore solution is often a controlling factor determining the rate of the corrosion process of steel bars in concrete. This study reports on the corrosion resistance and polarization properties of steel bars in a mortar specimen mixed with aerobic microorganisms. The addition of the microorganisms in mortar mixtures led to higher corrosion resistance, which was confirmed by the reduced rate of oxygen permeability, based on cathodic polarization properties.

A recent technology transfer by Dongho Jeon in the School of Urban and Environmental Engineering at South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) is estimated to be worth KRW 100 million.