System and method for protective coating of reinforcement

1. A soil reinforcing member comprising:

a metallic member extending between a first end and a second end, the first end being engageable with a structural member, and the metallic member being bent at two or more locations along a length of the metallic member, such that the metallic member elongates with a soil surrounding the soil reinforcing member; and

an elastomeric coating disposed on the metallic member to mitigate corrosion of a cross-sectional area of the metallic member;

wherein the elastomeric coating includes a dielectric strength sufficient to electrically isolate the metallic member from the soil, and an elongation equal to or greater than an elongation of the metallic member to mitigate cracking of the elastomeric coating upon elongation of the metallic member, such that the cross-sectional area of the metallic member is less than a cross-sectional area of an equivalent metallic soil reinforcing member without the elastomeric coating.

2. The soil reinforcing member of claim 1 , wherein the coating includes polyurethane or polyurea.

3. The soil reinforcing member of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric coating has a tensile strength of between about 2,000 psi and about 5,000 psi.

4. The soil reinforcing member of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric coating has a tear strength of between about 500 pli and about 1000 pli.

5. The soil reinforcing member of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric coating has an elongation of between about 90% and about 600%.

6. The soil reinforcing member of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric coating has an elongation of between about 300% and 600% and the metallic member is designed to strain between about 1% and 3%, such that strain compatibility exists between the metallic member and the elastomeric coating.

7. The soil reinforcing member of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric coating has a di-electric strength of between about 200 V/mil and about 400 V/mil.

8. The soil reinforcing member of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric coating has a thickness of between about 10 mils and about 100 mils.

9. The soil reinforcing member of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the elastomeric coating is thicker at the first end of the metallic member, and the thickness of the elastomeric coating decreases along the length of the metallic member in a direction moving away from the first end.

10. The soil reinforcing member of claim 1 , wherein an exterior surface of the elastomeric coating is configured to increase the frictional resistance between the soil reinforcing member and the soil.

11. The soil reinforcing member of claim 1 , wherein the soil reinforcing member has a service life, and the cross-sectional area of the soil reinforcing member remains constant during at least a portion of the service life.

12. The soil reinforcing member of claim 11 , wherein the first end of the metallic member is directly engageable with the structural member.

13. A method of producing a soil reinforcing member including a metallic member extending between a first end and a second end, the method comprising:

bending the first end of the metallic member for engagement with a structural member;

bending the member at a plurality of locations along a length of the member so that at least a portion of an axial stress applied to the metallic member is resisted by flexure of the plurality of locations; and

coating the metallic member with an elastomeric material to mitigate corrosion of a cross-sectional area of the metallic member,

wherein the elastomeric material includes a dielectric strength sufficient to electrically isolate the metallic member from the soil, and an elongation equal to or greater than an elongation of the metallic member to mitigate cracking of the elastomeric coating upon elongation of the metallic member, such that the cross-sectional area of the metallic member is less than a cross-sectional area of an equivalent metallic soil reinforcing member without the elastomeric coating.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein coating the metallic member includes completely encapsulating the metallic member with the coating.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein coating the metallic member includes spray-coating the metallic member with the elastomeric material.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising galvanizing or aluminizing the metallic member.

17. A mechanically stabilized earth retaining system comprising;

a soil reinforcing member including a metallic member extending between a first end a second end;

a connection assembly at the first end of the metallic member; and

an elastomeric coating covering substantially the entirety of the metallic member and the connection to mitigate corrosion of a cross-sectional area of the metallic member and a cross-sectional area of the connection assembly;

a structural member engageable with the connection assembly of the soil reinforcing member to retain earth,

wherein the elastomeric coating includes a dielectric strength sufficient to electrically isolate the metallic member from the soil, and an elongation equal to or greater than an elongation of the metallic member to mitigate cracking of the elastomeric coating upon elongation of the metallic member, such that the cross-sectional area of the metallic member is less than a cross-sectional area of an equivalent metallic soil reinforcing member without the elastomeric coating.

18. The mechanically stabilized earth retaining system of claim 17 , wherein the structural member is a concrete member.

19. The mechanically stabilized earth retaining system of claim 17 , wherein the reinforcing member is welded wire reinforcement.

20. The mechanically stabilized earth retaining system of claim 17 , wherein a thickness of the coating of the metallic member decreases along the longitudinal axis in a direction moving away from the connection assembly.