ABSTRACT 



The purpose of this report is to assemble in one paper much of 

 the current knowledge involving corrosion of steel piling in seawater 

 and methods of corrosion prevention. The study is "based on a survey 

 of literature. Causes of corrosion and the effects of environmental 

 conditions such as galvanic couplings, marine fouling, abrasion, oxygen 

 concentration and other factors are presented. Corrosion rates of bare 

 steel piles and test results on protective coatings for steel are in- 

 cluded. Factors involved in the use of cathodic protection and concrete 

 jackets to protect steel piles are explained. The corrosion rates of 

 plain carbon and lov-alloy steels are compared. 



References surveyed show that flame-sprayed zinc sealed with 

 saran or vinyl is possibly the best coating system tested. Concrete 

 jackets of proper design and construction are reported to be very ef- 

 fective. Cathodic protection also provides good corrosion protection. 

 Combinations of cathodic protection with coatings or concrete jackets 

 may be advantageous . 



There is great need for more data from which to determine the most 

 economical method of protecting steel piling in seawater. 



FOREWORD 



This report was prepared in response to a request from the Office, 

 Chief of Engineers, U. S. Department of the Army, for more design data 

 concerning the corrosion of steel piling in seawater. It is one phase 

 of the project "Study of Corrosion of Steel Piling in Seawater" which is 

 being carried out under the Corps of Engineers ' Engineering Studies 311 

 sub-project, "Corrosion Mitigations", funded through the Rock Island 

 District. Findings in this report relate directly or indirectly to the 

 corrosion of steel piling in seawater. 



The report was prepared by L. L. Watkins , a project engineer in 

 the Design Branch, under the general supervision of G. M. Watts, Chief 

 of the Engineering Development Division and R. A. Jachowski, Chief of 

 the Design Branch. 



At the time of publication, the Director of the Coastal Engineering 

 Research Center was Lieutenant Colonel Myron Dow Snoke; the Technical 

 Director was Joseph M. Caldwell. 



NOTE: Comments on this publication are invited. Discussion will be 

 published in the next issue of the CERC Bulletin 



This report is published under authority of Public Law l66, T9th 

 Congress, approved July 31, 19^5, as supplemented by Public Law 172, 88th 

 Congress, approved November 7, 19^3. 



