Backfill Corrosivity around Corrugated Steel Plate Culverts

Abstract

Corrugated steel plate (CSP) culverts are exposed to the risk of soil corrosion because of the location in the soil environment. This paper characterizes the most important factors contributing to corrosion in the soil: resistivity, pH, and moisture content. Tests of soil resistivity based on the geophysical electrical resistivity measurements (Wenner array) are presented. This method allows for soil resistivity measurements at various depths. The conducted experimental tests concerned the six galvanized CSP culverts situated on different types of roads (national, provincial, and local). All tests were conducted in two seasons: summer and spring. The minimum resistivity of the soil in the vicinity of the CSP culverts amounted to