The aluminum
and concrete controversy
A s a conduit, aluminum offers a number of impor-
tant advantages. It has a high resistance to atmos-
pheric corrosion, even under conditions of high humid-
ity or pollution with chemical dust or fumes; it is safe
electrically, and it offers a substantial saving (up to 50
percent) in man-power because it is light in weight, easy
to handle and easy to bend.
The picture, unfortunately, is not all rosy. A number of
cases have been reported in which excessive corrosion of
aluminum conduits has resulted in cracking and
spalling of the concrete in which it was embedded. In
cases of corrosion where the concrete cover was too
thick to result in concrete failure, the conduit has col-
lapsed inwardly. One such project which received con-
siderable publicity was the Washington, D.C. stadium.
Extensive spalling and cracking developed after the sta-
dium was opened in 1961. Investigation revealed that
the deterioration was caused by expansion of corrosion
products surrounding aluminum conduit embedded in
the concrete. This type of problem has been reported
under such varying climatic conditions as those experi-
enced in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Vir-
ginia, Kansas, Tennessee, Florida, and Ontario.
The consequences of these isolated experiences have
been the banning of aluminum conduit in concrete by
such groups as the Army Corps of Engineers, District of
Columbia Building Department, and the Public Build-
ings Service. Agitation by the International Association
of Electrical Inspectors has brought recognition of the
problem in the 1965 National Electrical Code. Suitable
corrosion protection approved for the condition will
now be required for any metal raceway buried in con-
crete or in the ground.
Considerable research is being conducted in this area
since the causes of aluminum corrosion in concrete are
not conclusively established. So far, two schools of
thought seem to have evolved. One school believes that,
while it is true that aluminum in concrete corrodes only
under a special environment, it is difficult to assure the
prevention of the factors that make up this environment
under actual field conditions. The other school believes
that the generally satisfactory performance of aluminum
conduit in concrete demonstrates the practicability of its
continued use, especially if preventive measures are tak-
en when conditions encouraging corrosion are likely to
be present.
Aluminum is highly resistant to the corrosive effects of
Typical aluminum conduit specimens (left) before test,
(middle) after 28 days in concrete free of chloride, and
(right) after 28 days in concrete containing 4 percent
calcium chloride and steel coupled to the aluminum.
many environments because it develops a thin, invisi-
ble oxide coating. Under neutral or nearly neutral condi-
tions (pH 4.5 to 8.5), this coating is further strengthened
by the formation of additional hydrated alumina. While
the alkaline solutions in concrete may dissolve the ex-
isting oxide coating, they tend to form new films which
are highly resistant barriers against further attack. Ex-
tensive corrosion occurs only when a galvanic action is
established by the interaction of dissimilar metals in
concrete containing chloride ions and water. In the case
of aluminum conduit, the aluminum acts as the anode,
the steel as the cathode, and the concrete as the elec-
trolyte. Instead of the normal protective coating, this gal-
vanic action results in the formation of chemically com-
plex aluminum corrosion products having considerably
increased volume. The disrupting forces are the result
of this increased volume of corrosion products.
Aluminum industry researchers and some other in-
vestigators believe that serious aluminum corrosion
problems occur only when a galvanic reaction is set up;
in other words, when chloride salts are present in ap-
preciable quantities in the concrete along with alu-
minum and steel. The Aluminum Association and its
members have investigated virtually every report of alu-
minum deterioration in concrete and they state that in
all cases soluble chlorides were found to be present in
appreciable quantities in the mix. Therefore, their rec-
ommendations are that soluble chlorides of any type, in-
cluding calcium chloride, must not be used in concrete
in which aluminum is to be embedded or that, since this EFFECT OF PROTECTIVE COATINGS ON CORROSION OF
is difficult to guarantee, a protective coating be provided ALUMINUM CONDUIT EMBEDDED FOR 28 DAYS IN 6-INCH
for the aluminum. Their investigations show that there is CONCRETE CUBES CONTAINING 4 PERCENT CALCIUM
no case of corrosion of aluminum in concrete in which CHLORIDE AND STEEL COUPLED TO THE ALUMINUM
an adequate protective coating has been applied to the
aluminum. PROTECTIVE COATING Loss in
Aluminum Association investigators report they have Surface
noted cracking in concrete over embedded galvanized Thickness, Days to Thickness,
steel conduit in two major buildings in the Midwest, Material Mils Cracking Mils
where calcium chloride additions were made to the con-
crete. They cite these experiences, and accelerated test None — 3 2.5
results, as evidence that the problem is not unique to
Silicone nil 2 2.1
aluminum. Dissimilar metal connections and/or special
conditions of stress on metals in chloride concrete can Lacquer B 1 no crack 0.47
produce corrosion problems to galvanized steel and Lacquer C 2 no crack nil
bare steel, as well.
Bitumen A 5 no crack nil
In Portland Cement Association studies, all field pro-
jects in which aluminum corrosion took place had con- Bitumen D 15 no crack nil
crete containing calcium chloride. In some cases the
chloride content was as high as 8 percent of the weight of Calculated from weight losses. Table courtesy of Portland
the cement. The PCA studies showed that the extent of Cement Association.
corrosion of aluminum in concrete is directly propor-
tionate to the amount of calcium chloride in the con-
crete and also to the ratio of steel area to aluminum area. The aluminum industry suggests protecting the con-
The amount of corrosion is inversely proportionate to duit with bituminous or asphalt-base paint or other in-
the distance separating the aluminum and steel. ert or insulating coatings. The table shows the effect of
Reinforced concrete necessarily entails the use of a protective coatings on aluminum corrosion in calcium
considerable amount of reinforcing steel and a large chloride concrete. As will be noted, the lacquer and bi-
amount of free water is contained even in old concrete. tumen coatings effectively reduced or prevented corro-
Therefore, where aluminum conduit is to be buried in sion. But the question of how well the coatings will stand
reinforced concrete, the presence of a soluble salt such up under field handling has been raised.
as calcium chloride or stray currents or salts from ag- It will be deduced from this study that the cause and
gregates would seem to complete the galvanic cycle. prevention of aluminum corrosion in concrete are not
Some other independent studies indicate that calci- definitely determined. To most authorities, the factors
um chloride alone has no harmful effect on aluminum. which help determine the occurrence and extent of sig-
These studies were made on aluminum specimens em- nificant corrosion in the field appear to be the presence
bedded for 18 months in concrete blocks containing a of a soluble chloride, size of conduit, strength and thick-
calcium chloride mix and they concluded that “the at- ness of conduit, presence of water, presence of stray
mospheric specimens from concrete with added calci- electrical currents, amount and position of steel, galvan-
um chlorides were not corroded any more severely than ic action and exposure conditions. Apparently, serious
those from the standard mix.” This, too, would seem to corrosion of aluminum in concrete experienced thus far
support the theory that the three elements—steel, alu- in the field has had as determining factors chloride ions
minum and a soluble chloride—are needed before seri- and water in the concrete with aluminum and steel in
ous aluminum corrosion will occur. close proximity to interact as galvanic forces.

PUBLICATION #C650369
Copyright © 1965, The Aberdeen Group
All rights reserved