USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation
Turner-Fairbank logo
OFFICE OF RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY AT THE TURNER-FAIRBANK HIGHWAY RESEARCH CENTER

Federal Highway Administration 100-Year Coating Study

Publication Information

Publication Type:
Report
Publication Number:
FHWA-HRT-12-044
Abstract:

The Federal Highway Administration 100-Year Coating Study was initiated in August 2009 to search for durable coating systems at a reasonable cost. The objective of the study was to identify and evaluate coating materials that can provide 100 years of virtually maintenance-free service life for steel bridges. Selected coating systems included three three-coat systems, four two-coat systems, and a single-coat system of high-ratio calcium sulfonate alkyd. All coating systems were evaluated under accelerated laboratory testing and three outdoor exposure conditions, namely natural weathering and natural weathering with salt spray in McLean, VA, and outdoor testing at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA. One design innovation was the employment of 18- by 18-inch large test panels that contained welding joints and angle attachments using bolts and nuts to closely simulate realistic conditions that are encountered in bridges in the field. This report presents results of performance evaluation of the eight coating systems.

Publishing Date:
November 2012
Author(s):
Lee, Seung-Kyoung (ORCID: 0000-0001-7367-5197)
Publishing Office:
Office of Infrastructure Research and Development
FHWA Program(s):
Research
Infrastructure
AMRP Program(s):
Structures
FHWA Activities:
Long-Term Bridge Performance
Subject Area:
Research
Bridges and other structures