Galvanized reinforcing steel is effectively and economically used in concrete where unprotected reinforcement will not have adequate durability. The susceptibility of concrete structures to the intrusion of chlorides is the primary incentive for using galvanized steel reinforcement. Galvanized reinforcing steel is especially useful when the reinforcement will be exposed to the weather before construction begins. Galvanizing provides visible assurance that the steel has not rusted and requires no on-site repair, unlike most other coatings.

Reinforcing steel can be galvanized to slow corrosion, providing barrier and sacrificial protection. As the corrosion products of zinc are much less voluminous than those of steel, the cracking, delamination, and spalling cycle is greatly reduced when using galvanized rebar. Laboratory data support, and field test results confirm, that reinforced concrete structures exposed to aggressive environments have a substantially longer service life when galvanized rebar is used as opposed to bare steel rebar