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– 13.01.2026
Winter currently has Germany firmly in its grip. With snow, ice, and slippery conditions, the use of road salt is on the rise to keep roads, bridges, and parking garages safe for traffic. What serves traffic safety in the short term can have significant long-term effects on the building fabric: Through de-icing salts, chlorides reach and penetrate reinforced concrete structures, with potentially serious consequences for their durability and stability.
Chloride content in hardened concrete: An often underestimated risk factor for structural durability
What is chloride and how does it get into the concrete?
Chlorides are chemical compounds found, among other things, in de-icing salts. Through precipitation, splash water, or direct exposure, they penetrate the concrete surface and, over time, migrate deeper into the structure. Structures regularly exposed to de-icing salts—such as bridges, parking garages, underground garages, or traffic areas—are particularly affected.
The speed and depth of penetration depend, among other things, on the concrete quality, porosity, cracking, and environmental and exposure conditions.
Why is chloride so critical for reinforced concrete?
As soon as chlorides reach the reinforcing steel, a critical process begins. The steel’s protective passivation layer is destroyed, causing the corrosion protection to be lost. The reinforcing steel becomes susceptible to rust formation, a gradual process that can go unnoticed for a long time.
It is precisely this invisibility that makes chloride-induced corrosion particularly dangerous: while the structure still appears intact on the outside, the damage inside continues to progress.
What damage is caused by chloride-induced corrosion?
Corroding reinforcing steel increases in volume. The result is cracking, spalling, and a progressive weakening of the concrete. In the long term, this can significantly impair the load-bearing capacity of columns, walls, and slabs.
Especially in heavily used structures such as parking garages or bridges, corrosion detected too late often leads to extensive and costly renovation measures—including restrictions on use or closures.
Why is chloride determination in hardened concrete so important?
The chloride concentration in hardened concrete is a key parameter in structural diagnostics. It enables a well-founded assessment of the corrosion risk and serves as a basis for decision-making regarding maintenance and protective measures.
In addition to concentration alone, other factors play an important role:
Early analysis helps identify risks in a timely manner and prevent damage in a targeted way.
How does industrial lab support chloride analysis?
industrial lab supports building owners, engineering firms, and testing laboratories with precise analyses and reliable results. Our investigations provide a dependable data foundation for making informed decisions, planning targeted renovation measures, and ensuring the long-term safety and service life of structures.
For more information on chloride determination in concrete and supplementary test parameters, please visit our website at:
Chloride Analysis
