## 1 Introduction  
Steel corrosion in concrete has been identified as a primary cause of damage and deterioration in reinforced concrete structures globally, primarily due to the presence of chlorides [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. This is normally difficult to achieve because a strong passive film is formed on the steel surface in an alkaline environment inside the concrete. However, it begins to deteriorate owing to chloride intrusion, which decreases the pH and destroys the passive film. Marine tidal and splash zones are especially susceptible to corrosion because of their relatively rich oxygen, water, and chloride contents, as well as frequent wet-dry cycles [8, 9, 10]. It is well known that corrosion treatment is expensive, accounting for about 3-4% of the gross domestic product of each nation [11]. For example, USD 2.5 trillion, or 3.4% of the world's gross domestic product, was spent in 2013 on solving the worldwide corrosion issue [12]. Cathodic protection (CP) is regarded as a dependable and efficient method for protecting against corrosion in reinforced concrete structures that have been harmed by chloride penetration [13, 14]. CP can be divided into impressed current CP (ICCP) and sacrificial anode CP (SACP). SACP uses the potential difference between the anode and cathode. In other words, the CP current flows from the anode to the cathode because the anode (e.g., zinc or aluminum) has a lower potential than the cathode [15, 16], which protectsthe cathode cathodically. Although SACP can offer simpler and less expensive corrosion protection, its implementation in a high-resistance environment is challenging owing to its low current intensity, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of CP and the resulting issues of throwing power [17; 18]. Because the throwing power is only a few centimeters, depending on the surrounding conditions, the workability of the SACP system in marine tidal and splash zones is limited [19; 20; 21]. To address the inherent limitations of SACP, a hybrid CP system that integrates ICCP and SACP was developed [22; 23]; however, this approach introduces challenges to practicality, as it increases the system complexity and may lead to interference between the two CP systems. Researchers have developed a versatile conductive mortar, supported by widespread supports, to enhance a range of properties, including electrical and mechanical characteristics, wear resistance, oxidation resistance, and volume and contact resistivity. This innovative mortar has applications in diverse areas, such as extending the fatigue life, de-icing, and self-monitoring materials [24; 25]. Notably, extensive exploration and experimental evaluation have been conducted on carbon fiber conductive mortars for CP systems. For example, [PERSON] and [PERSON] [25] assessed the volume and contact resistivity of conductive mortar, which play a pivotal role in the design of the anode for a CP system. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [26] conceptualized conductive mortar as the primary anode for ICCP systems, affirming its effectiveness through experiments conducted in arid environments. [PERSON] et al. [27] integrated a primary anode with a conductive mortar anode composed of Ni-coated carbon fibers. They rigorously examined the performance of an ICCP system using the proposed anode system on concrete specimens with and without chloride contamination, accounting for both dry and wet conditions. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [28] explored a comparable ICCP system employing a conductive mortar in conjunction with a primary anode, with a specific emphasis on the current distribution by the conductive mortar anode concerning the initial corrosion state, concrete resistivity, and current density magnitude. Expanding their research, [PERSON] and [PERSON] [29] further scrutinized the mechanical, electrical, and electrochemical properties of conductive mortar. [PERSON] et al. [30] conducted a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of CP, cathodic prevention, and electrochemical chloride extraction.