Effect of Cathodic Protection of Adjacent Steel Piles on the Life of Sacrificial Anode

There are two cases when the life of a sacrificial anode is shortened from the designed life: one case results from self-corrosion of the anode due to contamination by sea water in the other case, however, electrical current to protect some given steel piles overflows to protect other, adjacent non-protected steel piles. In this study, the variation of polarization potential of nine steel piles, being protected cathodically and with anode-producing current between anode and steel piles, was investigated. Parameters were varied, such as the eighth and ninth steel piles either connected electrically or not, and whether the ninth steel pile was protected by another sacrificial anode or not. The current produced by the sacrificial anode decreased when the ninth steel pile was cathodically protected by the anode of another pile. However, produced current increased when the ninth steel pile was not connected to another anode. The study concludes that the life of a sacrificial anode can be prolonged or shortened depending on whether adjacent steel piles are cathodically protected or not.