Mechanistic Understanding of the Non-Uniform Corrosion of Steel Bridges: From the Perspective of Micro-Environments

The prevention of non-uniform corrosion in steel bridges remains a global challenge. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates atmospheric corrosion in steel bridges and introduces a non-uniform corrosion rate prediction process based on micro-environments, including the temperature and re...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zhuang Wang, Yongjian Liu, Kecheng Ye, Sha Chen, Guang Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Buildings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/3/422
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Summary:The prevention of non-uniform corrosion in steel bridges remains a global challenge. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates atmospheric corrosion in steel bridges and introduces a non-uniform corrosion rate prediction process based on micro-environments, including the temperature and relative humidity of the air near the steel bridge surface (T<sub>S</sub> and RH<sub>S</sub>) and the deposition of pollutants on the steel bridge (D<sub>P</sub>). Using a CFST arch bridge as a case study, this research examines the causes of non-uniform corrosion and explores effective protective measures. The findings reveal a maximum of 1.48 °C for the T<sub>S</sub> and 15.7% for the RHs in different parts of the arch ribs. Significant disparities of the D<sub>P</sub> are observed in different parts of the arch ribs. The largest D<sub>P</sub> at the upper chord is up to 44.3 mg/m<sup>2</sup>/day (mdd), and the smallest amount of deposition at the lower chord is close to 0 mdd. Under the influence of the aforementioned factors, significant non-uniform corrosion of the ribs was found, with the fastest corrosion rate being up to 18.5 μm/year and the slowest corrosion rate being close to 0 μm/year. Uneven pollutant deposition is the primary cause of the non-uniform corrosion of the CFST arch bridge. By conducting the regular cleaning of the ribs, non-uniform corrosion could be mitigated.
ISSN:2075-5309