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| REPORT |
| This report is an archived publication and may contain dated technical, contact, and link information |
 |
| Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-20-065 Date: September 2020 |
Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-20-065 Date: September 2020 |
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This report documents a study that evaluated the corrosion protection performance of four coating systems applied to steel substrates with various chloride contamination levels. The purpose of the study was to identify coating systems that can provide extended service life for steel bridges with minimal surface preparation. This study helps estimate the amount of chloride contamination that coating systems can tolerate without premature failure. Owners, consultants, contractors, and technical experts interested in the durability of coatings applied to contaminated steel substrates may benefit from the information contained herein.
Cheryl Allen Richter, P.E., Ph.D.
Director, Office of Infrastructure
Research and Development
Notice
This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document.
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Technical Report Documentation Page
| 1. Report No.
FHWA-HRT-20-065 |
2. Government Accession No. | 3. Recipient's Catalog No. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4. Title and Subtitle
Coating Performance on Existing Steel Bridge Superstructures |
5. Report Date
September 2020 |
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| 6. Performing Organization Code | ||||
| 7. Author(s)
R. Liu and A. Runion |
8. Performing Organization Report No. | |||
| 9. Performing Organization Name and Address
SES Group & Associates, LLC |
10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) | |||
| 11. Contract or Grant No.
DTFH61-17-D-00017 |
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| 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address
Office of Infrastructure Research and Development |
13. Type of Report and Period Covered
Final Report; June 2014–December 2019 |
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| 14. Sponsoring Agency Code
HRDI-10 |
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| 15. Supplementary Notes
For this research, the Contracting Officer's Representatives were Chip Becker (HRDI-10) and later Frank Jalinoos (HRDI-30), Corrosion and Coatings Program Managers. |
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| 16. Abstract
This study evaluated the performance of four coating systems applied on chloride-contaminated steel substrates. The purpose of the study was to identify coating systems that can provide extended service life for steel bridges with minimal surface preparation at a much reduced cost. The study helps estimate the amount of chloride contamination coating systems can tolerate without significant premature failure. The chloride contamination levels tested in this study were 0, 20, and 60 μg/cm2. The coating systems tested were two 3-coat systems (one with inorganic zinc-rich primer and the other with organic zinc-rich primer), a 2-coat system with carbon nanotubes in its zinc-rich primer, and a 1-coat system of high-ratio calcium sulfonate alkyd. Coated panels were exposed to two conditions: accelerated laboratory testing and outdoor natural weathering. The 3-coat systems had the best corrosion protection performance among the tested specimens. The inorganic zinc primer performed slightly better than the organic zinc primer. The 2-coat system demonstrated the highest adhesion strength over all levels of chloride contamination. |
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| 17. Key Words
Coating, chloride, corrosion |
18. Distribution Statement
No restrictions. This document is available through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161. |
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| 19. Security Classification (of this report) Unclassified |
20. Security Classification (of this page) Unclassified |
21. No. of Pages
47 |
22. Price
N/A |
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| Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) | Reproduction of completed page authorized |
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