Corrosion Protection Of Prestressing Steels

Without doubt, active corrosion protection of prestressing steels by cement grout can be one of the most economic and durable solutions, if properly executed. Numerous other corrosion protection systems which fulfill requirements such as controllability and exchangeability are available. This state-of-the-art report, prepared by a task group and approved by fib Commission 9 Reinforcing and prestressing materials and systems, concentrates exclusively on factory applied corrosion protection that can be produced in controlled processes which should assure a better quality than corrosion protection applied on site. The report is addressed to designers and installers (executing persons) attempting to inform them about the various possibilities for industrially applied corrosion protection and to provide the necessary knowledge for their application.

Unbonded tendons are popular in certain types of structure for reasons of economy and speed of construction. The FIP Commission on Pre-stressing Steels and Systems accordingly appointed an ad hoc committee to investigate available knowledge and experience and to instigate research if necessary.

This report is a review of selected failures in concrete structures in which prestressing steels break in a brittle way due to stress corrosion cracking. Most cases are from the German experience over a period of about 30 years. Analysis of these failures shows that they are often due to an accumulation of causes such as poor design, errors during construction, careless detailing and, in some cases, use of unsuitable materials. This report will have achieved its purpose if it serves to avoid these past errors and encourages the development of new ways to protect, test and regulate prestressing steels. The report is complemented with comments on the properties and corrosion behaviour of different types of prestressing steels. The goal of the study is to provide objective arguments for the discussion of failures that have occurred due to corrosion induced failure of prestressing steel. In such a way the general regulation given in DIN with respect to reinforcement for robustness may eventually be proven inappropriate. The general building authority approval for prestressed hollow filler block floors already supports such an idea. It is well known that the hollow block floor industry works without any reinforcing steel. The regulations in the standards should not limit in particular the use of these types of prestressing steel (cold-formed wires, strands) which have proven not associated with any substantial failures cases reported in the last 35 years. The report reviews the historical development with respect to corrosion induced failure of prestressing steel. Concerning the circumstances of the failure examples, this review partly reflects a specific problem in Germany. Also reviewed are other known interregional examples of failure which are incorrectly attributed to the prestressed construction method. All cases considered are discussed and the failure reasons thoroughly evaluated, also with reference to the results of most recent research. Another question addressed is whether one should be concerned over corrosion induced retarded failure even when using new generation prestressing steel with correct corrosion protection. Finally a contribution to the following very important question is presented: Do the future prestressed structures possess enough safety against structural failure if they are constructed without reinforcement for robustness but otherwise comply completely with the design standards? To aid a better understanding of this short report on typical failure cases and their origins, the main conditions are set out for corrosion-induced failure of prestressing steel in technical applications. The properties of different types of prestressing steel and their application limits are given in a special section dealing with the influence of building materials on damage development. This report will be of interest to all involved in the construction process. Fundamental scientific discussion has been avoided by reference to well accredited detailed information in the technical literature.

This state of the art report summarizes the mechanisms and types of corrosion to which a ground anchorage based on a prestressing tendon can be subjected. The chemical, electrochemical and bacterial reactions between agressive soils and steel and concrete are dealt with in detail. There is a carefully recorded and analysed list of a number of known cases of tendon corrosion. A corrosion protection philosophy is proposed, with five classes of protection, with examples of such protection in current practice.

This fib Recommendation gives technical guidelines regarding design, testing, acceptance, installation, qualification, inspection and maintenance of stay cable systems using prestressing steels (strands, wires or bars) as tensile elements, which can be applied internationally. This Recommendation is applicable for cable-stayed bridges and other suspended structures such as roofs. It may also be used for hangers in arch structures and as suspension cables, as appropriate. This Recommendations has been formulated by an international working group comprising more than 20 experts from administrative authorities, universities, laboratories, owners, structural designers, suppliers of prestressing steels and stay cable suppliers. The text has been written to cover best construction practices around the world, and to provide material specifications that are considered to be the most advanced available at the time of preparing this text. For ease of use (for client, designer and cable supplier), the complex content has been arranged thematically according to the system components into chapters focusing on performance characteristics, requirements and acceptance criteria. Requirements and comments have been specified for all parties involved in design and construction in order to aim for a uniform and high quality and durability. The interfaces to the structural designer are highlighted. The essential subjects are: Design and detailing of stay cables including saddles and damping devices Durability requirements and corrosion protection systems Requirements for the materials Testing requirements for the stay cables Installation, tolerances, qualification of companies and personnel Inspection, maintenance and repair. This Recommendation does not cover the technology of stay cables whose tensile elements are ropes, locked-coil cables, etc. or which consist of composite materials. Nevertheless, in many cases the specified performance criteria may also be applicable to these systems, although numerical values given for the acceptance criteria may need to be adjusted. For these systems it has been difficult to provide multiple protective layers similar to those specified for stay cables made from prestressing steel and therefore, the quality of corrosion protection may not be equivalent. While extradosed cables have similarities with stay cables, generally agreed design and system acceptance criteria are not yet available and therefore, this type of cable is not covered.