Validation and Simulation of the Bare Steel Foundation Pile Cathodic Corrosion Protection System

Abstract

This study conducted validation and simulation analysis of the cathodic corrosion protection system for bare steel foundation piles in marine environments, focusing on its protective performance and long-term stability. The study selected S355J2H high-strength low-alloy structural steel as the pile material and employed the sacrificial anode cathodic protection method, with aluminum alloy used as the anode material. During the research process, field experiments and BEASY CP software simulations were used to track and compare corrosion potential and current density over an extended period, while also evaluating the impact of marine biofouling on the cathodic protection system. Results showed that after 36 months of exposure, the sacrificial anode blocks continued to degrade, confirming the effective operation of the cathodic protection system. The consumption rate of the sacrificial anodes ranged between 67.7 % and 94.8 %, with field-measured corrosion potentials maintained between-969 mV/SSC and-1078 mV/SSC, meeting the DNVGL-RP-B401 standard requirements. Simulation results indicated corrosion potentials ranging from-975 mV/SSC to-1035 mV/SSC, validating the rationality of the cathodic protection system's design. Additionally, the surface of the bare steel foundation piles was covered with algae and bivalve species, predominantly oysters. The growth of marine organisms has stabilized, with the maximum individual size consistently reaching 9 cm.