The corrosion of reinforcement bars (rebars) in reinforced concrete (RC) structures is a critical factor affecting the long-term durability and service life, particularly in aggressive environments such as marine environments or areas exposed to de-icing salts. These conditions facilitate chloride ion ingress, which accelerates the corrosion process by providing a direct pathway for chloride penetration to reinforcement. Corrosion weakens the load-bearing capacity of reinforcement and compromises structural integrity. While significant research has been conducted on corrosion in RC structures, the influence of cracks on corrosion initiation and propagation, particularly in chloride-induced environments, remains poorly understood. This thesis addresses this gap by investigating the effect of crack width on corrosion behaviour, focusing on corrosion kinetics and the mechanical performance of reinforcement in RC elements exposed to accelerated corrosion conditions. For this purpose, A 31 tension tie specimens (90 x 90 x 830 mm) were cast using grade C30/37 concrete and reinforced with Ø12 mm hot-rolled ribbed bars. The specimens were pre-cracked to induce varying crack widths and subjected to accelerated corrosion testing under wet and dry cycles, with exposure to a chloride solution (35 g/l) simulating real-world exposure conditions. The results showed corrosion initiation occurred in all specimens from the first cycle, with no delay in corrosion start regardless of crack width. During the corrosion propagation phase, there was no clear linear relationship between crack width and pitting depth, with wide variability observed. However, both maximum pit depth and mean pit depth tend to increase as crack width increases. The deepest pits and highest average pit depths were observed in specimens with yielded rebar. The mechanical testing of corroded rebars revealed that the ultimate strength was only marginally affected, but ductility was significantly reduced, especially in specimens with wider cracks and those subjected to higher strain levels. In specimens with 5‰ strain, ductility loss reached up to 74%, highlighting a serious risk of brittle failure under service loads.