Performance and working life of cathodic protection systems for concrete structures

Title: Performance and working life of cathodic protection systems for concrete structures
Author(s): Rob B. Polder, Erika A.C. Neeft, Greet Leegwater
Paper category : conference
Book title: 2nd International Symposium on Service Life Design for Infrastructures
Editor(s): K. van Breugel, Guang Ye, Yong Yuan
Print-ISBN: 978-2-35158-096-7
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-097-4
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2010
Pages: 545 - 552
Total Pages: 8
Nb references: 13
Language: English

Abstract: Corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete structures, e.g. due to chloride penetration, causes concrete cracking, steel diameter reduction and eventually loss of safety. Conventional repair is labour intensive and costly and economic pressures work against the required quality level.
Consequently, conventional repair is short lived in many cases in practice. Corrosion reappears and new repairs are necessary after a relatively short time, increasing life-cycle cost. A different situation applies to cathodic protection (CP) of steel in concrete. CP of reinforcing steel has been successfully applied to concrete structures with corrosion damage for more than 25 years.
This paper presents results from a survey of CP systems in The Netherlands. About 125 structures have CP installed; performance and maintenance data are available from about 100 systems. The large majority provides corrosion protection for a long time. Failure of components and overall systems occurs in limited numbers and has been quantified as a function of age. In few cases, maintenance has been necessary of electrical connections, reference electrodes and power units. Global failure of the anode, which necessitates near complete replacement of the system, has occurred with a low rate that increases with age. In general, 90% of all CP systems performed well up to an age of at least 13 years. This applies only to CP systems that were designed, executed and maintained properly, including regular electrical and visual checks.

Online publication: 2011-04-20
Publication type : full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00