Evaluating the Performance of Existing Reinforcement for Oklahoma Bridges

Abstract

The ever-increasing use of deicing salts poses results in a constant threat to transportation infrastructure, particularly bridge deck components, due to corrosion of the reinforcing steel in concrete structures. For over forty years, the preferred method of corrosion protection of reinforced concrete bridge decks has been the use of epoxy-coated reinforcement (ECR). This system is not without its flaws, however; ECR is prone to damage from handling, construction, and exposure to the environment, and early failures of some structures with ECR have been documented. These shortcomings have led some state DOT’s, such as Virginia and Florida, to abandon the use of ECR in favor of other corrosion protection systems, such as stainless steel, corrosion-inhibiting admixtures, and galvanized reinforcement. The majority of states, however, still use ECR due to its low initial cost and good performance in the overwhelming majority of structures. As more is learned about existing corrosion protection systems and new corrosion protection systems enter the market, there is a need to predict the design life and cost effectiveness of these systems to determine if ECR remains the most effective means of extending the life of bridge decks.