Cathodic protection of steel framed masonry structures - experimental and numerical studies

Many high-profile steel-framed masonry buildings are susceptible to extensive damage as a result of corrosion of the steel frame. This has resulted in serious consequences with respect to serviceability, safety, aesthetics and heritage. Cathodic protection (CP) is a proven method for preventing and protecting buried and submerged steel and reinforced concrete structures from corrosion. More recently, the method has been introduced to prevent and control corrosion in steel-framed masonry structures. However, despite several sizeable CP installations around the world, there are no formal guidelines for the design, installation and operation of such systems and much of the knowledge is based on empirical observations. This paper presents both experimental and numerical studies on the cathodic protection of representative steel framed masonry structures. These studies are considered essential in the understanding of the mechanisms of cathodic protection and the design of optimised cathodic protection systems for such structures.