Cathodic Polarization Behavior of Steel with Different Marine Fouling Morphologies on Submerged Bridge Elements with Cathodic Protection
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32, Issue 7
Abstract
Severe localized corrosion of submerged steel bridge piles in Florida was associated with fouling and microbial-influenced-corrosion (MIC). The research in this study evaluated the efficacy of cathodic protection (CP) in those environments. Field tests were conducted in two natural rivers with different marine fouling morphologies. The test steel arrays were coupled to a zinc-sacrificial anode, and system potentials of approximately with respect to the saturated-calomel electrode (SCE) developed. Global CP currents to the steel exceeded and generally reduced the overall corrosion rate. The CP current was related to cathode surface availability under fouling, and portions of the array did not receive sufficient cathodic polarization. Laboratory tests were conducted using specimens with different surface crevice morphologies that were cathodically polarized at and and immersed in solutions inoculated with sulfate-reducing bacteria. Tests confirmed that the presence of crevices reduce CP effectiveness. Fouling environments caused insufficient levels of CP and supported the growth of bacteria associated with MIC. CP alone may not be adequate to mitigate crevice corrosion and MIC under heavy fouling.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
This investigation was supported by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this study are those of the authors and not necessarily reflect those of the FDOT or the US Department of Transportation. Support from the FDOT State Materials Office is acknowledged. The contributions by Bin Li and Md. Ahsan Sabbir are also acknowledged.
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Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32 • Issue 7 • July 2020
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©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 9, 2019
Accepted: Jan 2, 2020
Published online: Apr 29, 2020
Published in print: Jul 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Sep 29, 2020
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