Lexington – January 12, 2012 – The KTC Test Site’s (KTC) Bridge Preservation Research Program was selected for the President Lecture Series Award by The Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC) for the paper “Effects of Chloride Contamination on Coating Performance.”
KTC conducted a study, funded by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), to assess the impact of chloride on the coating performance of KYTC bridges. The study had a field and laboratory component. The field component measured chloride levels and coating performance of in-service KYTC bridges. The laboratory component measured the accelerated weathering performance of approved KYTC bridge coating applied over chloride charged steel panels.
The conclusion drawn from the field measurements and laboratory testing is that the currently available methodologies for assessing chloride levels are insufficient in predicting coating performance.
The award will be presented to authors Theodore Hopwood II, Bobby W. Meade, and Sudhir Palle at the SSPC 2012 Annual meeting on January 31, 2012.