CORROSION AND CATHODIC PROTECTION OF REINFORCING STEEL IN CONCRETE BRIDGE DECKS. INTERIM REPORT

This report discusses design and installation of an experimental cathodic protection (CP) system on an existing corrosion-damaged concrete bridge deck. The system is designed to prevent or arrest corrosion of steel reinforcement that causes salt-contaminated concrete decks to crack and spall. It draws on a proved technology that has been used in other industries for many years to protect buried steel, such as natural gas pipelines. The system is simple in both concept and practice, and offers considerable cost savings compared to the eventual cost of replacing a severely corrosion-damaged deck. CP is the only method available that will stop ongoing corrosion in bridge decks without requiring removal of chloride-laden concrete. It is based on applying a low-power DC current to the deck, which interrupts the normal "anode-cathode" corrosion cell by making the entire reinforcing system cathodic. The experimental CP system was installed on an existing three-span concrete deck using platinized primary anodes and secondary anodes of carbon filaments placed in sawed slots, and backfilled with conductive polymer grout. The anodes and rebars (now cathodes) were connected to a DC rectifier-controller that maintains a preset potential level. An appendix containing specifications specially written for the experimental cathodic protection system described in this report is available to interested readers on request as a separate publication.

• Corporate Authors:

  New York State Department of Transportation

  Engineering Research and Development Bureau, 1220 Washington Avenue
  Albany, NY  United States  12232

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Grady, J E
• Publication Date: 1985-11

Media Info

• Pagination: 39 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Anodes; Bridge decks; Cathodic protection; Chlorides; Concrete; Corrosion protection; Direct current; Reinforcing steel
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; I34: Steels and Metals;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00458592
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/NY/RR-85/126
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Oct 31 1986 12:00AM