Modeling the Chloride-Induced Corrosion Deterioration of Bridge Decks with Epoxy-Coated Reinforcement

This research focuses on the selection of suitable parameters for evaluating a bridge deck deterioration model, based on the diffusion of chlorides to initiate corrosion and subsequent cracking and spalling, for a deck with epoxy-coated steel bars as reinforcement. Another objective of this study is to attempt interpretation of the copper-copper sulfate (CSE) half-cell potentials and unguarded three linear polarization (3LP) corrosion rates, where these tests supply significant indication of ongoing corrosion, for the bridge decks with epoxy-coated reinforcement (ECR) steel bars. The study includes the inspection of a bridge deck (Federal Structure Number: 14178), which carries U.S. Route 15 over Interstate 66 near Gainesville, Virginia. The bridge was constructed in 1979 with a top mat of ECR and uncoated steel bars (UCS) as the bottom mat. At the time of the inspection the bridge had been 30 years in service, had not been overlaid, and exhibited prominent surface deterioration. Cumulative damage was 14% of the deck surface area as the sum of the spalls, delaminations and patches. This study also considers the number of samples or observations for each parameter considered necessary to run a model with a statistical significance of 95%. Using selected parameters the diffusion model is applied for the bridge deck to estimate future deterioration rate, which predicts severe damage in a short period of time.

  • Supplemental Notes:
    • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AHD45 Corrosion
  • Corporate Authors:

    Transportation Research Board

    500 Fifth Street, NW
    Washington, DC  United States  20001
  • Authors:
    • Balakumaran, Soundar
    • Weyers, Richard E
    • Brown, Michael C
  • Conference:
  • Date: 2012

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 14p
  • Monograph Title: TRB 91st Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01365733
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: 12-2496
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: Mar 20 2012 2:59PM