Thousands of Florida bridges have steel-reinforced concrete piling foundations standing in salt water. Over time, chloride ions in the water can migrate through the concrete to attack the steel inside. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has implemented designs that better protect the steel. However, many structures were built before the new standards and, as such, are more susceptible to corrosion. Steel reinforcement has been studied extensively in the section of the pile just above the water line, the so-called splash-evaporation zone, where salt buildup is greatest. The portion of the structure below the water line has been less studied, but this area can still be a site of steel degradation.

US Transportation Collection