FE Civil Engineering Exam Prep

Answer: B - Cathodic protection is used to control corrosion. Corrosion is an electrochemical process in which an electrical current flows through a metallic substance, causing a chemical reaction that results in pitting and, ultimately, complete deterioration. Cathodic protection systems use the electrical properties of metallic substances to protect against the corrosion of metallic piping and structures by forcing an electrical interaction.

There are two main types of cathodic protection systems:
· Galvanic - uses a sacrificial anode, placed adjacent to the structure to be protected, that corrodes instead of the structure
· Impressed current - a current is applied to a structure from an adjacent anode