This paper discusses the condition of the weathering steel used in construction on the Luling Bridge across the Mississippi River near New Orleans from construction to the present. Components used in construction were pre-welded and shipped to Louisiana on the decks of cargo ships. Consequently, the steel was corroded before construction. Photographs of the interior of the structure of the bridge and samples of the corrosion products formed on the interior of the bridge have been taken at irregular intervals since 1984. The corrosion products have been analyzed by several methods and the results are reported. The environmental conditions surrounding the bridge are also discussed.
Lessons learned from this bridge and their implications for other structures are also presented.