- Reclamation
- R&D
- Research Projects
- Corrosion and Corrosion Control
Corrosion and Corrosion Control
Project ID: 724
Principal Investigator: Tom Johnson
Research Topic: Repair and Maintenance
Funded Fiscal Years:
2004
Keywords: None
Research Question
How does corrosion affect Reclamation structures? How can corrosion of Reclamation structures be reduced?
This project will pursue the recommendations made in a 2002 congressionaly mandated report on corrosion prevention strategies as they apply to Reclamation's infrastructure.
Need and Benefit
A congressional mandated study completed in 2002 indicates the direct corrosion costs within the United States are estimated at $276,000,000,000 per year or 3.1 percent of the Gross National Product. This indicates a substantial impact to the United States economy due to corrosion. Reclamation is not immune from such economic impact resulting from corrosion. The report lists seven preventive strategies and stresses changes are required such that the economic benefit of reducing the costs of corrosion can be realized from the implemtation of corrosion preventive strategies.
This project will focus on the reported preventive strategies. Many facets of corrosion and corrosion control pertain to Reclamation's infrastructure; and, therefore, the program will be implemented in a multiple pronged and phased approach. Some of the more promising and general areas of concern follow:
* Technology transfer of existing research data which has not yet been widely disseminated. We have an enormous amount of corrosion related research from several special investigations conducted on Reclamation projects. The amount and importance of the research data requires several papers be written for presentations of reasonable duration.
* Corrosion of steel in concrete has taken the forefront in the deterioration of our Nation's infrastructure. Reclamation could blend its corrosion and concrete expertise to further the advancement of preventative and rehabilitative measures as it specifically pertains to the water industry
* Pipeline protection technologies including coating systems and/or cathodic protection.
* Short-term discretionary investigations. Several times a year Reclamation personnel contact the Technical Services Center (TSC) with corrosion related problems; but because of limited funds, the problems can not be adequately investigated. Short-term discretionary investigations could be implemented if the investigation would have wide application across Reclamation.
Focus for fiscal years (FY) 2004 and 2005:
* The TSC utilizes guidelines entitled Corrosion Prevention Criteria and Requirements. These guidelines are used in the process of determining corrosion mitigation recommendations for buried line pipe alternatives and were last updated in the early 1990s. Due to recent congressional and pipeline industry inquiries regarding the application of these guidelines and the length of time since they were last updated, Reclamation Managers have requested that the guidelines be updated. Funding for this project is being requested from both the S&T and Manual and Standards programs.
* Short-term discretionary investigations, as necessary.
Contributing Partners
Contact the Principal Investigator for information about partners.
Research Products
Please contact research@usbr.gov about research products related to this project.
