Modeling Corrosion Effects

This article describes how corrosion of steel reinforcement in concrete structures is one of the primary reasons for bridge deck deterioration, especially in regions where deicing salts are applied and in salt-laden coastal areas. Corrosion is mainly initiated by the diffusion of chlorides through concrete to the reinforcing bar depth. Epoxy-coated reinforcement (ECR) was introduced in the United States as a corrosion prevention method in the late 1970s. However, some agencies began observing premature corrosion-related deterioration in the mid-1980s. Specifications and fabrication methods have been adjusted, but ECR has continued to exhibit mixed results, with some applications performing very well and others experiencing limited corrosion resistance. The article discusses how it necessary to continue to examine the performance of ECR and to develop reliable methods for predicting the deterioration rate of structures containing ECR. This article will allow transportation system owners to anticipate repairs, rehabilitation, and replacement. This article focuses on the selection of suitable parameters for evaluating a bridge deck deterioration model based on the diffusion of chlorides to initiate corrosion and subsequent cracking and spalling for an existing deck constructed with ECR.