DESIGN OF A CATHODIC PROTECTION SYSTEM TO OVERCOME A GALVANIC DISSIMILARITY ON ICONIC MONUMENT FOR MEXICO'S 200 YEAR INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATION

摘要

Mexico is celebrating two hundred years of independence and in commemoration; the Mexican government is building an iconic monument in the most important avenue in Mexico City. The Estela de Luz monument, which is set to last 200 years free of corrosion while serving as a reminder to the Mexican people of their struggle for independence, is already facing its first challenge. The artist and architects designed the structure using two different metals: Stainless Steel and Carbon Steel, therefore generating a galvanic pair which, if not mitigated, will induce a shortening of the life span of the structure. A combined solution using coatings and a hybrid cathodic protection system was proposed for the structure in order to minimize the net corrosion current. Numerical modeling and analytical calculations are presented demonstrating the effectiveness of a hybrid cathodic protection system using galvanic pairs and an impressed. Current system. In addition, laboratory tests were performed for the study of the stainless steel - carbon steel galvanic pair embedded in concrete, and for a comparison of the performance of different coatings. The design of a corrosion monitoring system is also presented.