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Best Practices for Road Weather Management Version 2.0

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Title:

Characterization of the Environment

Abstract:

The study on which this report is based sought to compile data on both accelerated and natural exposure of coating and corrosion test panels and then to relate their deterioration to environmental conditions. The report presents data gathered over a five-year period, incorporating seven test sites across the United States. Specifically, the report looks at how the local environment affects the performance of eight coating systems and two weathering steels. For coated steel, the report concludes that an absolute humidity of 0.015 moles H2O/mole of dry air is the critical level for increasing the likelihood of corrosion. Blistering failure is predominant in panels with high initial salt contamination on the substrate. Cutback is chiefly affected by the high amount of rainfall and salt-fall (marine environments). Loss of gloss was mainly related to southern latitudes, while color change was most closely related to high relatively humidity. For weathering steels, it was concluded that most high-chloride marine sites are unsuitable environments.

Source(s):

FHWA Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center, Publication No. FHWA-RD-00-030. For an electronic copy of this resource, please direct your request to WeatherFeedback@dot.gov.

Date: 2002

Author:

FHWA

Keywords:


Humidity
Rain
Precipitation

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