Title:
Pitting Corrosion in Prestressed Piles
Author(s):
Gray Mullins, Rajan Sen, David Ostrofsky, and Kwangsuk Suh
Publication:
Structural Journal
Volume:
122
Issue:
3
Appears on pages(s):
89-103
Keywords:
gravimetric; imaging; marine; model; pitting; prestressed piles; profile; stress concentration (SC); tensile test
DOI:
10.14359/51745641
Date:
5/1/2025
Abstract:
This study characterized pitting corrosion in prestressed piles,
linked it to stress concentration factors through ultimate strength
tests, and incorporated the findings into a simple predictive
damage assessment model. Six one-third-scale Class V concrete
prestressed piles were exposed for 38 months to outdoor tidal
cycles simulating a marine environment. At the end of exposure,
24 strands were extracted from the piles, and corrosion loss along
the strands was quantified using a new Pascal’s law-based strand
profiler. This identified regions of locally higher steel loss caused
by pitting corrosion. The same data set was used to confirm gravimetric loss measurements by summing localized section losses over the specimen length. Profiler data was complemented by microscopic imaging to further define pitting geometry. Ultimate load tests were conducted to examine the effect of pitting on residual
tensile strength and ductility. Similitude principles were used to
develop a model for predicting in-service stress in pile strands
using available inspection report crack width data.