Environmentally Acceptable Materials for the Corrosion Protection of Steel Bridges
Ocean City research Corp. completed a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) program to evaluate the performance of new technology coating systems designed to meet recently promulgated environmental requirements. Key program elements included:
Forty-seven different coating materials were tested in the laboratory and in the field. Field testing included exposure at a marine test site and on two bridge in marine environments.
Testing was conducted over five different prepared substrates allowing for comparison of product performance over the range of surface conditions that may be found in the field.
A survey of the painting practices of all 50 State departments of transportation was conducted to determine what the current painting practices are for new construction and maintenance painting. This included determining what areas of bridge structures suffer from the most significant corrosion
and coating deterioration.
