ABSTRACT
The most successful technique for controlling reinforcement corrosion of structural elements is Cathodic Protection (CP) which became well-established and acceptable over the last decades. Long-term maintenance of impressed current cathodic protection systems (ICCP), however, started to be seen as a burden to most structure owners and managers as it involves additional and continual costs. A requirement arose, therefore, for simpler CP systems to be made available which will involve less maintenance and monitoring requirements. As a first stage to simpler systems, galvanic cathodic protection anodes were developed in the 1990’s, first, only to protect steel reinforcement immediately around patch repairs but subsequently to control reinforcement corrosion over wider areas where corrosion risk was found to be high. It was the combination of ICCP and galvanic anode systems, however, that set the benchmark for a simpler alternative long-term method for corrosion control of steel reinforcement. This paper attempts to follow the development of all galvanic CP systems utilised for atmospherically exposed steel reinforced structural elements and looks at recently developed simpler cost-effective systems and methodologies that would likely form the future of the CP industry and improve durability and sustainability of existing structures and buildings.
