Development of Conductive Polyester Concrete for Bridge-Deck Cathodic Protection and Ice Control

An electrically conductive polymer concrete was developed and field tested by the California Department of Transportation. The conductive polymer concrete was a blend of polyester resin, mineral aggregate, and carbon in the form of coke breeze. After laboratory work it was used as an anode for cathodic protection (CP) of reinforcing steel on two bridge decks and used as a heater on another. The first CP system was placed on an entire bridge deck in 1988. Field data generated from 1988 to 1996 indicated it was quite successful, although there were some shortcomings. Following improvements a second bridge deck CP system is being placed. Use of the polymer as a heater was tried in 1990 by placing a 3 m² (10 ft₂) test section on a deck located on I-80 in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The heater was evaluated during the winter of 1990–1991. The results of the evaluation indicated such a heater is feasible.