CHLORIDES AND BRIDGE DECK DETERIORATION

AS A RESULT OF A RECENT BRIDGE DECK STUDY AND OTHER RELATED WORK, A MATHEMATICAL EXPRESSION WAS DERIVED THAT DESCRIBES THE DISTRIBUTION OF CHLORIDE IN CONCRETE AS RELATED TO DEPTH BELOW THE SURFACE IN BRIDGE DECK CONCRETE. THE VALIDITY OF THE EXPRESSION IS SUPPORTED BY A SIMILAR DISTRIBUTION OF SALT FOUND IN PILES SUBMERGED IN BAY WATER. DATA ARE GIVEN SHOWING THAT THE DISTRIBUTION OF CHLORIDE IN CONCRETE IS HIGHLY VARIABLE, AND ATTENTION MUST BE GIVEN TO THE NUMBER OF SAMPLES WHEN DETERMINING THE AVERAGE CHLORIDE CONTENT. STEEL WAS REMOVED FROM 1 BRIDGE DECK, AND CORROSION LOSS WAS MEASURED. ALTHOUGH NOT STRUCTURALLY SIGNIFICANT, THE CORROSION THAT HAD OCCURRED WAS MORE THAN NECESSARY TO CAUSE EXTENSIVE CRACKING OF THE CONCRETE. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT DECK DETERIORATION DUE TO CORROSION OF THE STEEL COULD BE EFFECTIVELY PREVENTED IN NEW STRUCTURES BY THE USE OF A NONCORROSIVE DE-ICING AGENT, OR THE USE OF AN EFFECTIVE SEALING MEMBRANE TO PREVENT SALT INTRUSION. A MEMBRANE PLACED ON A HIGH CHLORIDE-CONTAMINATED DECK IS LIKELY TO ACCELERATE CORROSION. HALF-CELL POTENTIAL MEASUREMENTS WERE MADE ON SECTIONS OF 2 BRIDGE DECKS. THEY SHOW THAT CORROSION ACTIVITY OF THE STEEL CAN BE NON- DESTRUCTIVELY DETECTED BY ELECTRICAL MEASUREMENTS. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1970/328/328-004.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paper sponsored by Committee on Effect of Ice Control and presented at the 49th Annual Meeting. 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:
  • Spellman, Donald L
  • Stratfull, Richard F
• Publication Date: 1970

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 38-49
• Monograph Title: Concrete durability, cement paste, aggregates and sealing compounds
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 328
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge decks; Chlorides; Concrete; Corrosion; Deicers (Equipment); Detectors; Deterioration; Electric potential; Reinforcing steel; Salts; Steel
• Uncontrolled Terms: Deicers
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00217048
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 8 1971 12:00AM