A Comprehensive Study of the Environmental Deterioration Process of High-Strength Bridge Wires

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*** 9532082 Betti The fundamental objective of the research is a systematic and comprehensive investigation of the environmental deterioration of the high-strength bridge wires under the actual service conditions. The research will focus on four different tasks. In task 1, a proper determination of the stress intensity and distribution in high-strength wires will be investigated. The importance of residual stresses due to wire manufacturing processes, initial stresses due to straightening of coiled wires and applied stresses due to imposed external loads will be considered. Task 2 will investigate the determination of the rate of wire deterioration under normal and accelerated conditions of environment/wire reactions while the effects of hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion assisted cracking will be the focus of task 3. Deteriorated galvanized and ungalvanized bridge wires as well as new wires will be subjected to experimental testing simulating aggressive corrosive environment. Theoretical analyses will be performed to interpret the experimental results. Task 4 will concentrate on the evaluation of the effects of wire metallurgy on the rate of wire deterioration in a corrosive environment. Studies on recent developments in wire manufacturing and on new materials will be conducted in view of the conclusions from the previous tasks.***