Sagüés, A.A.

Florida. Dept. of Transportation

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Many Florida bridges are built of steel-reinforced concrete. Florida’s humid and marine

environments subject steel in these structures

to corrosion once water and salt penetrate the

concrete and contact the steel. Corroded steel

takes up more space than the original steel,

resulting in cracked and spalling concrete which

further exposes the steel, and requires expensive

repairs and corrosion control techniques.

The Florida Department of Transportation

(FDOT) has responded with corrosion prevention

practices, such as very low permeability concrete

and increased concrete cover thickness over

reinforcing steel. This increases initial cost but

saves money over time, since the bridge’s service

life is significantly extended. So, it is important

to understand how a specific design can increase

service life for the specific environment in which

the bridge will be built.

US Transportation Collection