Half-Cell Potential Survey
A non-destructive test that measures the electrical potential between the reinforcement and a reference electrode on the surface, mapping where corrosion is active across a member or elevation.
On an actual building
It shows corrosion activity before any damage is visible, so a repair scope can be based on where the problem actually is rather than where the concrete has already fallen off.
What we most often have to correct
That it measures how much steel is left. It maps corrosion probability, not section loss — that is confirmed by opening up.
Terms that come up alongside this one
- Cover Meter
An instrument that locates reinforcement and measures the depth of concrete cover over it, without breaking out..
- Carbonation
The slow reaction of atmospheric carbon dioxide with the alkaline compounds in concrete, which lowers its pH.
- Chloride Attack
Corrosion of reinforcement driven by chloride ions penetrating the concrete, typically from sea air, sea spray or brackish groundwater.
Half-Cell Potential Survey — questions we get asked
What does half-cell potential survey mean in waterproofing?
A non-destructive test that measures the electrical potential between the reinforcement and a reference electrode on the surface, mapping where corrosion is active across a member or elevation.
Why does half-cell potential survey matter on a real project?
It shows corrosion activity before any damage is visible, so a repair scope can be based on where the problem actually is rather than where the concrete has already fallen off.
What do people commonly get wrong about half-cell potential survey?
That it measures how much steel is left. It maps corrosion probability, not section loss — that is confirmed by opening up.
Have a building showing this?
If a term on this page describes something you are looking at, a site inspection will tell you how far it has gone and what it needs. It costs nothing.
Mon–Fri 08:00–18:00 · Sat 09:00–16:00 · Jogeshwari West