Full-Scale Bridge Cable Corrosion Chamber
Figure 1: View of corrosion chamber with post-tensioned cable specimen suspended in chamber.
Figure 2: Detail of cross-section of
cable, showing cable grouping and
jacked groups eminating from
cross-section.
Figure 3: Detail of threaded
jacking rods, jacking beam,
and jack.
The full-scale bridge cable corrosion chamber was custom-designed and manufactured for Columbia University since no product of this scale is yet available commercially. Even though the system was constructed for the purpose of studying corrosion in bridge cables sections, its design was aimed at flexibility, for both augmentation and expansion of current research as well as applications in future projects. The system’s open-ended computerized control system allows for it to expose samples to a wide spectrum of corrosive environments, including salt water rainfall as well as weak acid rainfall, heat, cold, and dry conditions. The radiant heating, ventilation, and cooling systems allow the system to cycle quickly between environmental conditions. This is the first bridge cable corrosion chamber housing a full-scale panel of a suspension bridge wire rope under axial tension in the world.
Specifications
- Overall dimensions: 34 ft long by 8 ft – 2¼ in high (10.3 m by 2.5 m)
- Chamber dimensions: 20 ft long by 5 ft wide by 5 ft high (6 m by 1.5 m by 1.5 m)
- Environmental actuation:
- Recirculating liquid reservoir with rain jets
- Radiant heat lamps
- Ventilation/air conditioner
- Force actuation:
- Cable Prestress: 1.2 Million Pounds, approx. 175 kip per strand
- Self-Equilibriating test frame
- Data acquisition and control
- Automated relay control system of all environmental actuators
- Automated data acquisition of all 76 channels of parametric inputs
For further information contact Raimondo Betti at +1.212.854.6388.