Protected reinforced concrete structure

Abstract

A reinforced concrete structure comprising a hardened concrete containing at least one steel reinforcement, a plurality of anode cavities and interconnecting slots formed within the hardened concrete, with the interconnecting slots interconnecting adjacent anode cavities with one another. A discrete galvanic anode is installed within each of the anode cavities. At least one connector for connecting the plurality of discrete galvanic anodes with the at least one steel reinforcement. A plurality of interconnecting galvanic anodes which each comprises a metallic element which has an interconnecting connector extending from opposed ends thereof. Each of the interconnecting galvanic anodes is installed within a respective interconnecting slot. First and second ends of the interconnecting connector are respectively connected to adjacent first and second discrete galvanic anodes. Each interconnecting galvanic anode contains sufficient sacrificial metal to increase a total protection current delivered to the steel reinforcement.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A reinforced concrete structure comprising:
 a hardened concrete containing at least one steel reinforcement,   a plurality of anode cavities being formed within the hardened concrete,   a plurality of interconnecting slots being formed within the hardened concrete, and one of the plurality of interconnecting slots interconnecting two adjacent anode cavities with one another,   a plurality of discrete galvanic anodes, and one of the plurality of discrete galvanic anodes being installed within a respective one of the plurality of anode cavities, and   at least one connector for connecting the plurality of discrete galvanic anodes with the at least one steel reinforcement,   wherein the reinforced concrete structure further includes a plurality of interconnecting galvanic anodes which each comprises galvanic metal element which has an interconnecting connector extending from both opposed ends thereof, each one of the plurality of interconnecting galvanic anodes is installed within a respective one of the interconnecting slots, a first end of the interconnecting connector is electrically connected to a first adjacent discrete galvanic anode and a second end of the interconnecting connector is electrically connected to a second adjacent discrete galvanic anode.   
     
     
         2 . The reinforced concrete structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the metallic metal comprises a strip of metal which is folded around the interconnecting connector which has a length longer than a length of the strip of metal such that opposed ends of the interconnecting connector extend out from opposite ends of the strip of metal with the interconnecting connector being located along one edge of the strip of metal. 
     
     
         3 . The reinforced concrete structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each interconnecting galvanic anode has a length and a thickness and the length of the interconnecting galvanic anodes is greater than a diameter of each of the plurality of the anode cavities and the thickness of the interconnecting galvanic anodes is less than a width of the interconnecting slot. 
     
     
         4 . The reinforced concrete structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the discrete galvanic anodes is received within a respective anode cavity and embedded therein with a backfill, and each of the interconnecting galvanic anodes is received within a respective interconnecting slot and embedded therein with a backfill. 
     
     
         5 . The reinforced concrete structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete galvanic anodes and the plurality of interconnecting galvanic anodes are electrically connected together and with the reinforcing steel by the at least one connector to form an electrical circuit for protection of the steel reinforcement. 
     
     
         6 . The reinforced concrete structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete galvanic anodes and the plurality of interconnecting galvanic anodes each comprise a metal less noble than the steel reinforcement such that the discrete galvanic anodes and the interconnecting galvanic anodes each oxidize in order to protect the steel reinforcement. 
     
     
         7 . The reinforced concrete structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each galvanic interconnecting anode has a minimum charge capacity of 30 kC (kilo coulombs). 
     
     
         8 . The reinforced concrete structure according to  claim 2 , wherein the strip of metal is folded about and around the interconnecting connector so as to sandwich the interconnecting connector between overlapped sides of the strip of metal with the interconnecting connector extending adjacent and along the fold line of the strip of metal. 
     
     
         9 . The reinforced concrete structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each electrical connection to the at least one steel reinforcement comprises a hole formed into the at least one steel reinforcement with the at least one connector connected to the at least one steel reinforcement via a rivet. 
     
     
         10 . A method of protecting at least one steel reinforcement located within hardened concrete of a reinforced concrete structure, the method comprising:
 forming a plurality of anode cavities within the hardened concrete,   forming a plurality of interconnecting slots within the hardened concrete, with each one of the plurality of interconnecting slots interconnecting two adjacent anode cavities with one another,   providing a plurality of discrete galvanic anodes, and installing a respective one of the plurality of discrete galvanic anodes within a respective one of the plurality of anode cavities,   providing at least one connector for connecting the plurality of discrete galvanic anodes with the at least one steel reinforcement,   providing a plurality of interconnecting galvanic anodes, and each of the plurality of interconnecting galvanic anodes comprising a metallic element which has an interconnecting connector extending from both opposed ends thereof, and each of the plurality of interconnecting galvanic anodes containing a sufficient quantity of a sacrificial metal to increase a total protection current delivered to the steel reinforcement in the reinforced concrete structure,   installing each one of the plurality of interconnecting galvanic anodes within a respective one of the interconnecting slots,   electrically connecting a first end of the interconnecting connector to a first adjacent discrete galvanic anode and electrically connecting a second end of the interconnecting connector to a second adjacent discrete galvanic anode, and   embedding each one of the plurality of interconnecting galvanic anodes and the plurality of discrete galvanic anodes in a backfill.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising using a strip of metal as the metallic metal, and folding the strip of metal around the interconnecting connector which has a length longer than a length of the strip of metal such that opposed ends of the interconnecting connector extend out from opposite ends of the strip of metal, with the interconnecting connector being located along one edge of the strip of metal. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising forming each interconnecting galvanic anode with a length and a thickness such that the length of the interconnecting galvanic anodes is greater than a diameter of each of the plurality of the anode cavities and the thickness of the interconnecting galvanic anodes is less than a width of the interconnecting slot. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising inserting the backfill within each of the respective anode cavities and then installing one of the plurality of discrete galvanic anodes therein such that the discrete galvanic anode is completely embedded within the backfill contained within the respective anode cavity, and
 inserting the backfill within each of the respective interconnecting slots and then installing one of the plurality of interconnecting galvanic anodes therein such that the interconnecting galvanic anode is completely embedded within the backfill contained within the respective interconnecting slot.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising electrically connecting the plurality of discrete galvanic anodes and the plurality of interconnecting galvanic anodes together and to the reinforcing steel by the at least one connector to form an electrical circuit for protection of the steel reinforcement. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising forming each of the plurality of discrete galvanic anodes and each of the plurality of interconnecting galvanic anodes from a metal less noble than the steel reinforcement such that the discrete galvanic anodes and the interconnecting galvanic anodes each oxidize in order to protect the steel reinforcement. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising designing each of the galvanic interconnecting anodes to have a minimum charge capacity of 30 kC (kilo coulombs). 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising folding the strip of metal about and around the interconnecting connector so as to sandwich the interconnecting connector between overlapped sides of the strip of metal with the interconnecting connector extending adjacent and along the fold line of the strip of metal. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising forming each electrical connection to the at least one steel reinforcement via a hole formed into the at least one steel reinforcement with the at least one connector connected to the at least one steel reinforcement via a rivet.