CORROSION OF METAL DECK PLATES AFTER 10 YEARS OF EXPOSURE

THE METAL PLATES FORMING THE TROUGHS ON BALLASTED-DECK BRIDGES ARE IN MANY LOCATIONS EXPOSED TO A SEVERELY CORROSIVE ENVIRONMENT CREATED BY BRINE DRIPPING FROM REFRIGERATOR CARS. A VARIETY OF METALS AND ALLOYS HAS BEEN USED FOR FORMING THE TROUGHS BUT NO COMPARATIVE DATA ON THEIR CORROSION RESISTANCE HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE. IN 1958 AREA COMMITTEE 15-IRON AND STEEL STRUCTURES, REQUESTED THE AAR RESEARCH CENTER TO CONDUCT A 15-YEAR STUDY ON CORROSION OF DECK PLATES. ACCORDINGLY, 7-IN BY 10-IN TEST PLATES MADE OF VARIOUS METALS AND ALLOYS WERE PLACED ON THE HUEY LONG BRIDGE OF THE NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC BELT RAILROAD, NEW ORLEANS, LA., AN IDEAL TEST LOCATION BECAUSE OF THE HUMID CLIMATE THERE AND THE PREVALENCE OF BRINE DRIPPINGS. AFTER 10 YEARS OF EXPOSURE ON THE BRIDGE, ONLY PLATES OF STAINLESS STEEL AND 6061-T6 ALUMINUM SHOWED SIGNIFICANT RESISTANCE TO CORROSION. THE ALCLAD 2014-T6 ALUMINUM PLATES WERE SERIOUSLY FOLIATED. THE AVERAGE WEIGHT LOSS OF THE SPECIMENS AFTER 10 YEARS ( EXCLUDING THOSE OF STAINLESS STEEL AND ALUMINUM) VARIED BETWEEN 44.8 AND 59.9 PERCENT. PITTING WAS SEVERE, WITH DEPTHS RANGING FROM 0.34 IN TO 0.55 IN. FIG. 1 SHOWS THE CONDITION OF THE TEST PLATES AFTER 10 YEARS OF EXPOSURE.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • No 615, ProCEEDINGS VOL 70, PP 11-21, 4 FIG, 3 TAB
• Publication Date: 1968-10

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Am Railway Engineering Assoc Bulletin

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aluminum; Ballast (Railroads); Bridge decks; Corrosion; Corrosion resistance; Corrosion tests; Metal bridges; Plate metal; Railroad bridges; Railroad cars; Refrigeration (Structures); Seawater; Stainless steel; Steel bridges
• Uncontrolled Terms: Ballast
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00216790
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 21 1994 12:00AM