ABSTRACT
Corrosion of main cables on suspension bridges is a well-known and very serious international problem. Over the last 20 years dehumidification systems for main cables have been developed and applied worldwide. Dehumidification is generally accepted as the worldwide best practice for corrosion protection of main cables. Bridge authorities around the world are requiring dehumidification of main cables on new suspension bridges and retrofits on existing bridges. Over the last 20 years the understanding and design of main cable dehumidification systems has been constantly improved, as illustrated by this paper and the papers including in the references. This paper presents: Flow testing as a design parameter for an optimal system—experience and recommendations, Various other innovations and optimizations that ensure the effectiveness and minimize life cycle costs.
