Abstract
Protection of concrete bridge substructures against deterioration over time is one of the important aspects of bridge preservation and is routinely conducted by many State Departments of Transportation (DOTs). The application of coatings and sealers for protecting bridge substructure concrete from corrosion is a common practice by DOTs. However, a laboratory-based performance evaluation of potential sealers and coatings on a representative concrete substrate is crucial in selecting a suitable coating/sealer product that meets the project requirements. In the present study, a systematic laboratory-based performance evaluation approach using sorptivity, rapid chloride ion penetration, and chloride ponding tests was developed to evaluate four coating/sealer products (one water-based coating, one solvent-based coating, and two sealers) for their performance on resistance to moisture and chloride ingress into the concrete bridge substructure under both normal and weathered conditions. Monitoring through the measurement of dry film thickness for coating and depth of penetration for sealers was found to be effective in confirming a proper application. The water-based coating performed poorly compared with the solvent-based coating and sealers in resisting moisture and chloride ingress into the concrete substrate. Ranking through comparative assessment of the tested products based on their performance in the selected tests under both normal and weathered conditions was considered a measure of corrosion protection effectiveness and useful to select suitable products for field applications.
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