The slope parameter approach to marine cathodic protection design and its application to impressed current systems

The recently developed slope parameter approach to design of galvanic anode cathodic protection (cp) systems for marine structures constitutes an advancement in this technology compared to current practice, primarily because the former is first principles based and the latter is an empirical algorithm. In this paper, the slope parameter approach is reviewed; and related applications for which it can be utilized, including 1) design of new and retrofit cp systems, 2) evaluation of potential survey data, and 3) cp system design for complex geometries, are mentioned. The design current density is identified as the single remaining parameter for which values must be projected solely by experience or experimentation. In addition, the slope parameter approach is applied to the results of impressed current cp experiments, and it is shown how parameters for this can be interrelated with those of galvanic anode cp. Advantages of this capability are identified and discussed.