Investigation of Steel Pile Foundations in Corrosively Active Areas

Severely corroded steel H piles were discovered in 1988 when the new interchange between I-84 and I-91 in Hartford, CT, was under construction. Based on the findings of an earlier report, construction drawings of all bridges that contain steel piles were reviewed. Locations that showed subsurface conditions similar to those that produced the corrosion have been prioritized for further field and laboratory investigation. The techniques used to identify these locations are described. Laboratory investigation explored the characteristics of the macrocell which is the mechanism that caused the corrosion in Hartford. These experiments showed that in addition to the combination of layers of incineration products and clay above the groundwater table, a macrocell can form at the groundwater table in homogenous soil whose pore water has a resistivity below 1000 ohm-cm-1. A soil probe is described that can be adapted to locate layers in the subsurface profile that will corrode steel piles.

• Record URL:
  • http://cdm15019.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p128501coll2/id/50756/rec/1
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Connecticut, Storrs

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 261 Glenbrook Road
  Storrs, CT  United States  06269-2037

  Connecticut Department of Transportation

  280 West Street
  Rocky Hill, CT  United States  06067
• Authors:
  • Long, Richard P
  • Badinter, Joseph
  • Kambala, Papa Rao
• Publication Date: 1995-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 146p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Corrosion; Laboratory studies; Measuring probes; Pile foundations; Soils; Steel
• Uncontrolled Terms: H piles; Macrocells
• Geographic Terms: Hartford (Connecticut)
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I42: Soil Mechanics; I60: Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01004480
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: JHR 95-239, Project 92-4
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Oct 3 2005 7:41AM