GALVANIZING REDUCES BRIDGE RAIL AND GUARDRAIL MAINTENANCE IN MICHIGAN

STUDIES OVER SEVERAL YEARS IN MICHIGAN HAVE SHOWN THAT REMOVAL OF GUARDRAIL AND BRIDGE RAIL, HOT-DIP GALVANIZING TO A 5-MIL SPECIFICATION, AND RE-ERECTION AT THE ORIGINAL SITE, IS LESS COSTLY THAN MAINTENANCE BY CONVENTIONAL PAINTING AGAINST CORROSION. AFTER INITIAL TRIALS AND COST COMPARISON STUDIES, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MAKE GALVANIZING THE STANDARD MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE FOR STATE HIGHWAY BRIDGE AND GUARDRAIL. PAINTING AND GALVANIZING WERE COMPARED ON A STEP- BY-STEP AND COST BASIS. RELATIVE SERVICE LIFE EXPECTATIONS WERE ALSO COMPARED. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WHILE BRIDGE RAILS AND GUARDRAILS ARE REMOVED FOR MAINTENANCE ARE DISCUSSED. THE EFFECT OF THE GALVANIZING METHOD AND THE MATERIAL SPECIFICATION ON THE LIFE SPAN OF THE COATING IS DISCUSSED. COATINGS APPLIED BY THE GALVANIZED AFTER FABRICATION METHOD OF ASTM SPECIFICATION A-123 HAD SUBSTANTIALLY TWICE THE LIFE SPAN OF COATINGS APPLIED BY THE GALVANIZING BEFORE FABRICATION METHOD OF ASTM SPECIFICATION A-93. THE PAINTING OF GALVANIZED METAL IS DISCUSSED BRIEFLY. EXPOSURE TESTS ARE BEING CONDUCTED ON A GALVANIZED BRIDGE STRUCTURE.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1963/11/11-004.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • No11, Pp62-65 Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Cardone, S M
• Publication Date: 1963

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 4p
• Monograph Title: Maintenance practices
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 11
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Corrosion protection; Costs; Galvanizing; Guardrails; Highway maintenance; Life span; Maintenance; Maintenance practices; Materials; Methodology; Painting; Safety; Service life; Specifications; Standards; Structures
• Old TRIS Terms: Maintenance standards; Materials specifications
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Finance; Geotechnology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials; Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00217966
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Mar 24 1994 12:00AM