ABSTRACT
Corrosion of main cables on suspension bridges is a major problem on a worldwide basis. It has been proven by experience that the traditional system developed about 130 years ago for corrosion protection of main cables generally does not provide sufficient protection. Very serious corrosion has been detected on the main cables of older bridges and somewhat surprisingly on younger bridges as well. In order to eliminate this serious problem, proven dehumidification technology has been further developed for application to suspension bridge main cables. The dehumidification method ensures that the atmosphere inside the main cables is kept sufficiently dry so that corrosion can not occur. The full paper includes a history of dehumidification, a description of systems for main cables, design considerations, information on the latest trend – integrated systems and information on the current status of existing systems.
