Long-Term Effectiveness of Galvanic Cathodic Protection Systems for Reinforced Concrete Highway Structures

Abstract Galvanic cathodic protection systems are increasingly used to protect reinforced concrete structures especially marine bridge structures. Various different types of zinc anodes have been used. In this study an effort was made to document the long-term field performance of five galvanic cathodic protection systems installed on four marine structures and one structure exposed to deicing salts. The cathodic protection systems evaluated in this study utilized arc-sprayed zinc, zinc foil with adhesive, and zinc mesh with compression panels. At the end of the study the age of the systems varied from thirteen months to seven years. As the ability of the cathodic protection system to stop corrosion is well established, the focus of this effort was to ascertain the effectiveness of each anode material and configuration to serve as a cathodic protection anode on reinforced concrete structures. This paper documents the findings of this study.