NACE International has released a book titled, ‘Guide to Corrosion Management of Reinforced Concrete Structures.’ As the latest book in the corrosion management series from NACE International, the guide describes the steps required to control corrosion on current and future structures.
The guide covers several key topics, including the purpose of executing a corrosion management plan for existing and new structures; components of a detailed corrosion management plan; inventory management of corrosion and damage; understanding types of inspection and test methods and techniques; and forecast of future corrosion resulting from materials, design, and environment.
At least 59% of the country’s 586,000 bridges are made of reinforced concrete, according to the National Bridge Inventory of the Federal Highway Administration. The concrete’s durability is compromised by corrosion in specific environments or under critical exposure conditions. The corrosion has an impact on the structure’s operation and decreases the overall structural integrity. It also results in catastrophic failures along with loss of human life and considerable impact on the nation. Hence, controlling corrosion has become a major concern for several bridge owners with limited maintenance and preservation funds.
A cost-of-corrosion study conducted recently evaluated that the annual corrosion cost to all bridges is $8.29 billion. In addition, the study revealed that the indirect cost to the bridge users due to traffic delays and lost productivity can be 10 times higher than the direct cost of corrosion.
Source: http://www.nace.org/