The Ohio Department of Transportation is using a polyethylene product to protect concrete bridge pier columns from the salt-laden snow thrown on them during normal snowplowing operations. A research report and fact sheet are available.
ODOT had tried applying protective coatings on some piers but found that over time the coatings can peel or wear away. In 2013, ODOT began testing a new polyethylene product that wraps around concrete pier columns to prevent chloride penetration and corrosion.
ODOT’s observations so far are that the protected pier concrete has not experienced accelerated deterioration compared to the unprotected concrete used as a control. In addition, a recently completed research project that compared use of the polyethylene product to traditional coatings found that it was easy to install in about 30 minutes with a three-person crew.
(Condensed from FHWA Innovator, September/October 2021)
Learn more:
- Protecting Piers of Overhead Structures from Degradation Due to Snow and Ice Chemical and Material Usage Phase II: Fact sheet and final report (Ohio DOT, April 2021)