Structures Congress 2018
Corrosion in the Substructure of a Pedestrian Bridge at YSU: A Case Study
Publication: Structures Congress 2018: Bridges, Transportation Structures, and Nonbuilding Structures
ABSTRACT
A pedestrian bridge linking Moser Hall and Cushwa Hall at Youngstown State University (YSU), Youngstown, Ohio, was built almost 40 years ago. All three hammerhead pier caps supporting the bridge deck have experienced severe corrosion at the bottom. This corrosion has led to spalling of concrete at multiple locations and thereby exposed the reinforcing steel bars to open air facilitating more corrosion. An investigative study was undertaken to identify the causes of corrosion in these substructure units and to propose some viable remedies to this problem. The Schmidt hammer and profoscope were used to approximate the concrete strength, reinforcing steel bar locations, and clear covers. Reviews of previous research suggest that substructure corrosion can likely be carbonation-induced. Although carbonation-induced corrosion is a slower process in a dry environment and mostly occurs in older structures, it was predicted that the corrosion in those pier caps was due to the carbonation of concrete. Carbonation reactions take place on the outer surface of concrete and gradually penetrate through the concrete cover resulting in a low pH in the concrete. A full-scale structural analysis revealed no major reduction in strength of the pier caps. Physical inspections were conducted to ensure no major deficiency exists in the corroded concrete and steel reinforcement. After considering various repair methods, patching with fiber-reinforced concrete or low-slump dense concrete coupled with hydrophobic coating, and cathodic protection at damaged locations were suggested as the best remedial measures to protect the substructure from further deterioration.
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Published In
Structures Congress 2018: Bridges, Transportation Structures, and Nonbuilding Structures
Pages: 111 - 124
Editor: James Gregory Soules, CB&I
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-8133-2
Copyright
© 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Apr 17, 2018
Published in print: Apr 17, 2018
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