[HARBOR CORROSION: A CASE STUDY Investigating underwater steel corrosion Duluth-Superior harbor structures experience accelerated corrosion fuluth-Superior harbor is under at- tack, and it appears to be an inside job. Stel structures within the har- bor are corroding at a much greater rate than normal in @ freshwater environment. In fact, in some locations, corrosion has ac- celerated to rates resembling those of salt- ‘water environments. Stee in the harbor is corroding at arate from two to ten times greater than normal. "An as yet unexplained aggressive water chemisty specific tothe lower St. Louis and Superior Bays may be pitting the stel,”" said expert Rudy Buchheit, professor of materi- als science and engineering at Ohio State University, “but we haven't ruled out other factors ora combinations of factors.” Corrosion has pitted steel surfaces throughout the harbor. The pits, or pock marks, ae largest andl deepest inthe four feet ust below the wate surface. From four toten fet down, the pits gradually become smaller until they end at around the ten- foot mark, Eight miles up the St. Louis River, corrosion appears normal The corroding pock marks are covered by an orange coating that tends to cover the pit. IS not the individual pits that are of concem, but rather their proliferation. In some cases, he pits intersect, so that the overall strength of structures is being lost ‘A panel of experts documented the ab- normality in a study conducted last year. The panel released its report in March 2005, concluding that further detective work is absolutely necessary to uncover the corro- sion cause and determine the best solution The Duluth Seaway Port Authority first raised harbor corrosion concerns in 2003. ‘The Duluth-based engineering firm, Krech ‘Ojard & Associates, was the frst to docu- ‘ment and sty the underwater darnage Nearly 13 miles of steel sheet pile and numerous wooden docks held together by sieel lasteners are located within Duluth- Superior harbor. Steel columns support reas eoneyreon com highway bridges, and taconite is shipped through docks built of steel. With sheet pile currently costing about $1,500 per lineal foot, replacement cost for the steel piling, alone is estimated at $100 milion Duluth Seaway Port Authority, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Minnesota and ‘Wisconsin Sea Grant Programs and the Nat- ural Resource Research Insitute of the Uni- versity of Minnesota-Duluth sponsored the Duluth-Superior Harbor Accelerated Cor- rosion Expert Pane] Mecting in September, 2004, Five expersin the felds of corrosion, microbiology and chemistry met for two days, answered questions from an invited audience (representing facilities operating in the Duluth-Superior harbor area, gov- emment agencies, the port authority and educational institutions) and concluded with a news conference Many possible causes. According to the panels March repon, “Freshwater Cor- rosion in the Duluth-Superior Harbor,” published by the U.S. Army Corps of En- _gineers' Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, the increased rate of corrosion appears to have begun in the late 1970s, The panel reported that most harbor steel more than 30 years old shows similar lev- els of damage, but more recent installations exhibit the effects of accelerated corrosion. Corrosion rate estimates, made from dissolved oxygen measurements near the Burlington Northern bridge, suggest an in- ‘rease in corrosion rates from about 12 rails {0.3048 mm] per year during the 1970s to 22 mils [0.5588 mm] per year during the 1980s. Total thickness losses estimated from this analysis atleast appear to generally co- ‘ncide with actual observation of corrosion thickness lasses of sheet pile across the har- bor,” said the repor. Based on their experience, the expert panel compiled alist of possible causes, not- ing that “without direct quantitative mea. surements of corrasion from the site of the | The panel's short-term and long-term recommendations included corrosion rate monitoring, water chemistry analysis, corrosion product and MIC analysis, stray current testing and condition assessment. problem, itis not possible to definitively state a cause.” Of the 12 causes discussed, water chemistry, dissolved oxygen (DO) content and dissolved chlorides from de- icing salts seem to be the most likely agents of accelerated corrosion, It is unclear | whether microbiclogiea airs o une: tional harbor changes are influencing the Corrosion isan electrochemical proc so an analysis of water chemistry is impor. tant. Water chemistry itself can be affected by a variety of chemical, biological and elec- trical processes in the marine environmen. “Given the multiple and potentially wide- spread effects that are possible from either global or localized changes in water cher- istry, this facto is significant and requires quantitative testing,” the report says. It also pointe! out thatthe “presence of dissolved tannins related to biological decompositionHARBOR CORROSION: A CASE STUDY i Crea R OME LL meee CLF 5 Until further study of Duluth-Superior harbor corrosion is completed, solutions cannot be identified. However, the expert panel's report did present the following general types of possible solutions: Cathodic protection. Using either an electric power source or the natural electrical potential between a steel structure CVE Meas i ie itu RNC Ra aos cunts Oia Wey tie ste oe Oem co oc ue ara G ceo au cat etic eaec tate saa aca ic Aad existing sheet ple, “otherwise destructive galvanic effects would occur. The same also would be true of in-kind replacement, Pee ease Ma moniter Boel CRs mR LILES nce Nima ec ls MOR eRe) PRTC ca eGo ROS COUR BCU et Nor crate ui Bie cencec lL osu at B eee ledl oe ol eee Bete Poses But cay in connected rivers is also a factor that | coroson burt specfic cause has yt be dtemined could affect pH, dissolved oxygen content microbiology and other aspects of water | chemist Dissolve nn content isa critical compor ion proce: ey Dey coresion rate throu Js suggests that n the DO content in the har ae ES ies bor may be a contributing, or perhaps ssa Signifeant Jominant, factor in accelerated sheet pik Sorelle corrosion. Runoff into the Duluth-Superi- or arbors from road nitieaal & Not sionficant, (eerie 3m runoff and sew i ater chemistry and DO, but “ne in gested that runoff or se TieHARBOR CORROSI ON: A CASE STUDY Harbor corrosion panel recommendations ‘The panel of experts made short-term recommendations relative to the Du- luth-Superior harbor corrosion: Corrosion rate monitoring. The rate of corrosion should be immediately measured at a number of sites in order to quantify the problem and to estab- lish a baseline for future reference. Water chemistry analysis. Analyses focused on corrosion-related parame- ters should be made at a number of sites and depths. Given the probability of seasonal variations, these analyses should be performed for at least two years. ] star and L agree that the Corps should move forward with that [study] as soon as possi- ble, and we are working together to make sue that they can proceed,” said Obey. He secured $300,000 in a measure approved by the Appropriations Committee on May 18 to allow the Corps to begin its study. The Corps the spreading underwater damage so that itcan be contained and eradicated,” Ober- star said, Asa member of the Transporta- tion and Infrastructure Committee, he is just document and study Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) from the activity of microorganisms appears to be a growing problem in Eura- pean ports. Ibis not clear if MIC is signif cant in Duluth-Superior harbor, but the experts recommended further analysis, * The study tearn noted that, “Although a high-voltage DC power line terminates in the region of some Duluth-Superior harbor corrosion sites, observations do not suggest tha it has had a significant effect on harbor corrosion.” However, the panel recom- mended conclusive testing, More research is needed. Since the cause for the corrosion cannot be posi- tively identified without further study, the panel could not present definite solutions, Itisalso uncertain ifa one-time solution is possible or if appropriate management vill be necessary instead. The experts did. identify general possible solutions, in cluding cathodic protection, use of cor- rosion-resistant alloys, use of non-metallic advanced materials, protective coating: tems and condition-based maintenance and management The panel's short-term and long-term recommendations included ‘water chemistry analysis, cor- rosion product and MIC analysis, stray cur- rent testing and condition assessment “Is 100 early to tell if this problem is one that can be easly corrected or not,” sal Gene R. Clark, Wisconsin Sea Grant coastal ngineering specialist andl member of the team that sponsored the expert panel “Unil we know what is causing the problems, we really can't predict the s lutions, costs or results. We are continuing co seek funding for follow-up studies, and hat is the current emphasis of our effort. Ar this point in time, no specific studies are underway.” Defining the specific causes of Duluth- Superior harbor corrosion and identifying fixes must wait for farther investg Further investigation rmust be funded. In May 2005, Congressmen James Ober star (D-MN) and Dave Obey (D-WD asked the Corps of Engineers to conduct an in- depth investigation. “Congressman Ober- corrosion rate ation, and Midwest Energy Resources WHATEVER IT TAKES ‘TO MEET YOUR COAL TRANSPORTATION REQUIREMENTS + Coal Sourcing + Rail Transportation Dock Services ‘ Blending Trucking ° Vessel Transportation Soe od treeYou cam pret“ plex by puting jacket erownd ‘hen and fling wih concrete, bt his nt sry rata for shee pls ‘working to secure long-term authorization for the harbor corrosion investigation, The $300,000 House appropriation COAL op ee seri 1S A STAR OF THE NORTH STAR PORT the funding comes through, it will likely be : granted tothe Corps of Engineers, who will Shipments of clean-burning, low-sulfur western coal Jead the investigtion. In addition, the Du- moving through the Port of Duluth-Superior Tuth Seaway Port Authority expects an ad- continue to break outbound records. Sila ach cece Ae Minnesota, Regional institutions (Sea Gra, universities) will, or course, also be involved Duluth Seaway ta ey A Tone sudy expec wo flow the Port ‘Authority ernsmenito ol acuesesoE re port,” said Charles Marsh, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Materials Research En- ginger, and lead member of the expert panel. “The primary focus of the study will be the Duluth-Superigr harbor, but other poral eet tet presence of accelerated corrosion, We fully intend to coordinate the education and outreach of this study to other Great Lakes pai ante We really eed wo determine whether Th pated Gore nll cqueed ling ple start looking," Buchheit said Over 1,000 port calls are made at Du- lu Super atmuly by Gre Lakes and cxcar-ing ships A henall of eves sels overwinter in the por each year. Could tena ercumatioe ‘There has been a report of an entirely unpainted barge that has exhibited a sim ilar corrosion effect,” said Marsh, but the consensus is that ships are protected from corrosion by virtue of their hull paint, “In expected. Asa ship's paint degrades and esetappen cores Dee sidered a concern, as always. iim Starow, Duluth Sosa For Au thority facilities manager, and Wisconsin 13155 Grant Rd Lemont, IL. 60439 Sea Crane's Chak sil be prigeutingsa ban 630.257.5457 bor corrosion project update atthe fall 2005 meeting ofthe Wisconsin Commercial Ports Fax: 630.257.9049 Association in Washburn, Wisconsin. Christine R Rohn-Tielke 1200 Pot Teriral Dive » Duluth, Minvesoa SS602USA. 218-727-8505 Fax 218-727-6886 «Eat adn duper cem + ww dlithportcom PN