Feasibility Study for Development of Marine Exposure Site: Technical Report (0-5266-1)

Durability is a serious issue for managers of the U.S. transportation infrastructure. Work remains to be done to improve the service life, life-cycle durability, and both direct and indirect life-cycle costs of reinforced concrete, steel, and other structural materials in all environments throughout the state of Texas. For this project, researchers performed a feasibility study for the development of a marine exposure test site on the Texas gulf coast. The goals of the site are to increase the service life, reduce the capital and maintenance costs, and improve the quality, performance, and safety of transportation infrastructure in Texas through real-exposure research, experimentation, and testing of construction materials and processes. A literature survey reviews economic studies of durability problems and associated costs, including the costs nationwide and in Texas of deterioration, degradation, and corrosion, and the tangible benefits of improved durability. The project researchers visited and evaluated existing exposure test sites in the U.S. to identify site requirements and the critical success factors for a Texas marine exposure test site. A quantitative cost-benefit analysis was performed considering costs and future benefits in the short-term and long-term. The results demonstrate that the development of a Texas marine test site would be economically feasible and cost-beneficial to Texas.