United States Department of Transportation
i
Corrosion Monitoring of Hot Springs VSL Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall
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2005-11-01
[PDF-2.11 MB]
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Edition:Final Report Month Year to Month Year
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Abstract:In 2004 the replacement of the PCC pavement atop a VSL Retained Earth™ wall in Hot Springs, SD provided an opportunity to evaluate the performance of the galvanized reinforcement mesh. Concerns about deicing salt infiltration and high levels of sulfate in the granular backfill prompted an examination of reinforcement mesh in the wall. This was further complicated by a settlement problem in the wall which occurred during construction and created concerns with respect to corrosion of the concrete panel connectors as well as the bent mesh adjacent to the wall panels. The initial plan was to install a corrosion monitoring system in the wall to provide data as to expected remaining life if the corrosion present was severe. Initial examination of mesh near the abutments of a bridge connecting wall elements showed no evidence of corrosion occurring. The installation of the system was put on hold until excavation and coring were accomplished. All samples of mesh examined and tested demonstrated a remarkable lack of corrosion with little loss of galvanizing. The corrosion monitoring program was abandoned as it was deemed superfluous. The unique properties of the red shale (Spearfish) used as backfill combined with the relatively free draining nature of the backfill near the wall panels (due to an interconnected system of voids) resulted in no significant penetration of deicing chemicals into the backfill and a relatively dry environment within the backfill. In fact, no area of excavated backfill exhibited in situ moisture at the first level of mesh reinforcement.
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