Evaluation of galvanic technologies available for bridge structures

The use of sacrificial anode technologies to treat corrosion damaged concrete is an option that can be considered in specific cases. This is a rapidly growing field with many new innovations appearing in the market. The sacrificial anode technologies currently available are generally less powerful than impressed current cathodic protection but they are much less complex to apply. The technology requires no installed power supply and the installation of electrical cables is mainly limited to non-critical monitoring. Uncontrolled anode-steel shorts present no problems to system function and stray current corrosion of discontinuous steel is limited. In many cases the technology can be targeted to areas of need. In general, the output of a sacrificial anode system cannot be adjusted to manage a corrosion risk. However, some sacrificial anode systems have been used in both an impressed current and a sacrificial role and future corrosion risk may be addressed by turning the system into an impressed current system, or by applying a brief impressed current treatment to arrest the corrosion process.