Corrosion Impact the Service Life of Earth Anchors

Corrosion Impact the Service Life of Earth Anchors :

Knowing the effect that different types of water environments have on corrosion and structural steel loss, we can estimate the earth anchor life in each application.

Every application is different, but they often have something in common with other applications. We normally consider helical guy anchor performance in different types of soil, but different underwater applications can also impact the service life of guy anchors.

You can calculate an estimated service life for guy anchors, knowing the effect that different types of water environments have on corrosion and structural steel loss, we can estimate the life in each application. This can be very helpful in determining the best product for your specific project.

Relating Service Life and Corrosion for guy anchor:

Service life is defined as the estimated length of time it takes for 1/8” of material loss to occur on the solid steel shaft of a helical pile or anchor. Loss beyond that allows more possibility of failure. Corrosion is the degradation of a material due to reaction with its environment. For metals, the surface becomes oxidized, resulting in material loss over time. Given enough time, corrosion results in a reduction of the structural capacity of the metal. Eventually, it destroys enough of the structure’s strength that you could witness a failure.

Over the past 50 years, experience has shown that most helical anchors have a calculated service life that far exceeds the design life of the structure. That’s usually 50-75 years in the United States. Highly corrosive environments require additional protection for steel foundation products.