Investigation of residual protection of a 55 years old marine structure after 20 years subject to impressed current cathodic protection

• Published in: Materials and structures Vol. 56; no. 7
• Main Authors: Law, David, Bhuiyan, Shamir, Nicholls, Peter, Ackland, Bruce
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.09.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Building construction; Building Materials; Cathodic protection; Civil Engineering; Engineering; Machines; Manufacturing; Materials Science; Original Article; Pile caps; Processes; Reinforcing steels; Solid Mechanics; Theoretical and Applied Mechanics; Cathodic protection; Residual protection; Asset management; Corrosion; Reinforced concrete
• ISSN: 1359-5997; 1871-6873
• DOI: 10.1617/s11527-023-02224-7

It has been reported that structures to which impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) has been applied for a long period have displayed evidence of residual protection when ICCP has been halted, ranging from several days up to significantly longer periods. To study this phenomenon this paper reports the de-activation of a 20 years old ICCP system installed on a 55 years old wharf structure. The ICCP was de-activated for 84 days and the reinforcing steel potentials at locations on the front pile cap and front wall were monitored via the existing installed reference electrodes (RE). The results showed that all the RE installed in the structure initially demonstrated a positive shift in potential, with 61% maintaining a positive trend over the entire trial period.