1. Code & Standards Watch
Updates & New Releases:
AASHTO Guidelines for Corrosion Protection of Steel Bridges Using Duplex Coating Systems Published: Paint system over metallic coating, for use in extending bridge service life.
ASCE 72-23 Published: Standard Practice for Sustainable Infrastructure, intended to help stakeholders meet project needs while balancing life cycle sustainability.
Working Sessions, Public Comment, & Balloting:
ASCE 61 - Seismic Design of Piers and Wharves: Draft available for second round of public comments until May 19
ICC 600 - Standard for Residential Construction in High-Wind Regions: Draft available for public comment through June 1
Latest Errata:
Totally replace §3.2.4.4.1 on single- and multi-strand lifting loops.
2. Research Snapshot
RBF-Slip behaviour of reinforced concrete elements subjected to corrosion of rebar
This pure mechanics study isolated corrosion effects in bond slip behavior. Using accelerated corrosion test data, researchers then placed corroded and uncorroded embedded rebar samples in a head-to-head pull-out strength test, with corrosion triggering large losses in strength much earlier than expected.
No broader context on corrosion prevention in this paper, but it serves to reinforce practitioners’ focus on proper detailing to protect rebar in service.
Key Takeaways: Expansion cracking caused by rebar corrosion quickly debonds rebar from surrounding concrete, causing large strength losses of reinforced concrete sections.
3. Tools & Workflow
Aimed at solving issues with installation & setup over 12.0
4. Case Study of the Week
A study of existing balconies showing high degrees of localized corrosion damage, this paper looks at some of the factors that drove that corrosion. Insufficient concrete cover depth was quickly identified as one influence. Interestingly, the authors found that balcony slabs exhibited significantly higher degrees of carbonation, or loss of the alkali environment within the concrete that typically protects the rebar from corrosion, than facades or traditional beams and columns.
Moisture-sensitive finishes also appear to have accelerated that carbonization process where used, highlighting the role surface finishes can play on rebar corrosion.
Key takeaways: Aging balconies tend to fail from environmental exposure, rather than structural overload. Design with appropriate concrete cover is critical, and it may pay to use even a little more extreme cover than the code minimums in these applications.
5. Upcoming Free Live PDH
1.0 PDH, Friday, May 15 @ 11 am Central
Presented by SGH
Speakers: Xiu Li
1.0 PDH, Tuesday, May 19 @ 11 am Central
Presented by NoonPi
Register early; same-day registrations seem not to go through on this site!
1.0 PDH, Wednesday, June 3 @ Noon Central
Presented by WoodWorks
Speakers: Paul Dineen & Rob LoBuono
6. Quick Hits
ICC opens early bird sign up for 2026 annual conference in Tennessee this October
ASCE elections open through June 1, with voting for national and regional roles
👋 From the Editor
I’m Eric, the engineer behind the StructEd Bulletin. I dig through stacks of journal articles and software patch notes to find useful information for practicing engineers and keep an eye on the scattered code updates & errata for you. I’m just getting started, so if you find this useful, the best way to support the newsletter is to share it with a colleague or post it on LinkedIn. It helps more than you’d think!
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