UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies

The objective of this study was to perform a laboratory investigation of the corrosion performance of several types of steel dowels embedded in concrete beams. The concrete beams and dowels were subjected to exposure to concentrated chloride solutions intended to accelerate corrosion and simulate environmental conditions. The purpose of this investigation was to develop recommendations for use of different types of dowels for different environmental risk conditions. To provide an indication of the aggressiveness of the laboratory conditions relative to field conditions, a set of field slabs from Washington State was examined, and chloride content analyses were performed on the concrete beams used in the laboratory studies and on cores taken from nine locations in Washington State.