Battling Corrosion aboard Ships - Part 2

Impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) systems are the ultimate state-of-the-art, long-term solution to corrosion problems, and are recognized as a superior alternative to sacrificial anode systems, which require frequent replacement. Impressed current cathodic protection systems are preferred by ship owners because they reduce fuel cost and maintenance.

ICCP systems work by supplying a controlled amount of DC current to submerged surfaces using highly reliable mixed metal oxide anodes and zinc reference electrodes. This electrical current, constantly monitored and regulated by the system itself to prevent the electrochemical action of galvanic corrosion before it begins.

For more than 25 years, sea-going vessels of every type and size – oil tankers, LNG carriers, cruise ships, pleasure craft, workboats, semi-submersibles, and more – have benefited from the 24-hour protection provided by Impressed current cathodic protection systems against the costly, corrosive effects of electrolysis.

Reference Cell / Electrode
ICCP systems are controlled to assure optimum protection. This control is obtained by inserting a third electrode between the anode and the cathode. The third cell/electrode is insulated and does not receive any anode current. This cell/electrode is freely corroding and it becomes the starting point — or reference — in eliminating corrosion. Cell/Electrodes constructed of Zinc are used exclusively with the ICCP system.

Zinc Reference Electrode

Power Supply Unit / Control Panel
Each standard ICCP system utilizes a solid-state controller which monitors and controls the protection as measured by the Zinc Reference electrode. Anode current automatically increases when the electrode potential falls below the designated control value. An over- and under-potential alarm is provided with the system package. We also offer optional digital control, state-of-the-art technology with every system. The computer controller (shown below is more accurate and provides central control, monitoring, data storage and hard printout.

Mixed Metal Oxide Anodes
Mixed Metal Oxide anodes of are used exclusively for ICCP systems. ICCP anodes are manufactured in Linear Loop , Elliptical and Circular designs with insulating holders. They are available in a single unit capacity of 75 to 225 amperes, as required for various installations.

Impressed Current Corrosion Protection System – MMO-TI Linear Strip Anode– MMO-TI Disk Anode

System Advantage

·         Increased life of rudders, shafts, struts and propellers as well as any other underwater parts affected by electrolysis

·         Anodes are light, sturdy and compact for easy shipping, storage and installation

·         Anodes, reference cells and automatic control systems maintain just the right amount of protection for underwater hulls and fittings, unlike standard zinc anodes, which can’t adjust to changes in salinity or compensate for extreme paint loss

·         Automatic control equipment ensures reliable, simple operation

·         Optimum documented corrosion protection at minimum overall cost

·         Only one installation required for the life of the vessel or structure

·         Increased dry-dock interval

Battling Corrosion aboard Ships - Part 1

All areas of the marine industry fight a constant battle against corrosion.

The shipping industry is one that continually faces the corrosion challenges stemming from marine environments, particularly seawater.

Because seawater contains a significant concentration of dissolved salts and is very corrosive to steel, infrastructure and assets in or near marine environments are particularly susceptible to corrosion. Efforts to mitigate corrosion in marine environments continue as industries develop and implement solutions to prevent asset degradation.

The most frequent forms of corrosion found on chemical tankers are uniform corrosion, pitting corrosion, crevice corrosion, galvanic corrosion, and microbiologically influenced corrosion. 

The most efficient system for combating underwater corrosion is 'cathodic protection'. The basic principle of this method is that the ship's structure is made cathodic, i.e. the anodic (corrosion) reactions are suppressed by the application of an opposing current and the ship is thereby protected.

CATHODIC PROTECTION USING SACRIFICIAL ANODES: THE BASICS

 How does corrosion take place in ships?

 Ships are made of steel; whose main component is iron. Iron is an electrochemically positive element, i.e., it has a tendency to give up electrons to become a free ion. Sea water is composed of oxygen and hydrogen, and it produces electrochemically negative hydroxyl ions which can accept the electrons given by Iron. This way the Iron ions combine with the hydroxyl ions of water to form Iron Hydroxide. This is called the oxidization of Iron, and this oxide is what we call as the brown color rust.

 The basic idea of using sacrificial anodes is to use a metal like Zinc/Aluminium and create its contact with the surface to be protected.

The simplest picture which comes to mind is simply using a flat bar of the metal and fix it to the surface to be protected. This is actually the method commonly used to protect the outer ship’s hull.

To protect steel successfully using cathodic protection, it is therefore only necessary to lower its potential by around a quarter of one volt (250mV). 

Cathodic protection using sacrificial anodes produces a decrease in the potential of the ship by connecting the vessel to a metal which takes up a reversible potential of less than –850mV (S.C.E.) and allowing the sacrificial metal to produce the electrons rather than the corrosion reaction of the steel.

Anode Classification

Anodes can be classified based on their shape, size, material, mounting method and method of securing to the surface to be protected.

 The following are some widely used shapes for anodes:

• Flat or block shaped

• Cylindrical or semi-cylindrical

• Tear-drop anodes

• Bracelet anodes

• Disc shaped

• Tubular anodes

 Anodes can be of different shapes based on their applicability. The selection of the shape of anode depends on several factors. Some of these factors are:

• shape of the surface to be protected,

• availability of space,

• accessibility,

• ease of installation

• special considerations, e.g., effect on resistance for small boats 

For example, flat anodes are used mostly for flat, large surfaces like the ship’s hull. Tear-drop anodes are used in high speed boats where streamlining of water is important as flat anodes will increase the boat’s resistance. Bracelet anodes are used for pipelines and propeller shaft, while tubular anodes are used for cables. There are no fixed rules here though, and the choice depends on the availability, cost and flexibility in design. For example, cylindrical anodes can also be used to protect pipelines, and it is not necessary to use bracelet anodes if they are costlier.

Anode Material

Usually for marine applications, Zinc or Aluminium anodes are deployed. Zinc has been traditionally used for corrosion protection, though Aluminium is now widely used. The two properties which measure performance of an anode are listed below.

1.       Closed Circuit Potential – the first parameter, Closed Circuit Potential signifies the ease with which the anode will be corroded. The more negative the value, the more readily the anode will get corroded. Generally, a potential of less than -0.08 Volts is required for cathodic protection of shipbuilding steel to be effective.

2.       Electrochemical Capacity (in Amp-hr/kg) – The second parameter, the Electrochemical Capacity, signifies the rate at which the anode material will be consumed.

The two parameters for Zinc and Aluminium are listed in the table below:

Properties of Anode Materials (Source: DNV RP-B401)

We can see from the above table that Aluminium has a higher closed circuit potential – so it will more readily start working compared to Zinc. It also has higher Electro-chemical capacity compared to Zinc, and will be longer lasting for the same anode size.

Further, in fresh water application, Zinc tends to develop a calcareous coating on the anode surface, which prevents their effective working.

However, Zinc anodes have sometimes been found more reliable in environments with low oxygen, e.g., marine sediments or areas with high bacterial activity. Thus, while Aluminium is the more efficient one, Zinc may be more effective in some cases.

Further, Aluminium anodes, if falling from a height on oxidized steel, can create sparks. Thus they are not recommended to be used inside cargo tanks of tankers. The maximum height above tank bottom which they must be placed is 28/W meters, where W is the weight of the anode in kgs.

Hence, the selection of the material depends on the type of environment it is going to be used, and should be carefully carried out.

Anode Mounting Method

The next important consideration for installation of anodes is the mounting method, i.e., the configuration of the tubular insert, and the positioning of the anode vis-à-vis the surface to be protected.

Based on mounting technique, there are two major types of anodes which are used in ships:

1.       Flush mounted anodes – in this type of anode, the anode material (Aluminium or Zinc) is in direct contact with the surface to be protected. The insert is generally a flat bar which can be welded or bolted to the surface.

Flush Mounted Anode

2.       Slender stand-off anodes – In these types of anodes, the anode material is not in direct contact with the surface to be protected, and there is a gap (hence the name stand-off). The insert is generally a tubular one which can be welded or bolted to the surface.)

The benefit of a stand-off design is that it is a more compact design, and the anode material is better utilized in a stand-off design. This is quantified by a parameter called ‘anode utilization factor’. This is the fraction of the anode material which is actually utilized over the lifetime of the anode. For flush anodes, this is around 80%, while for stand-off anodes it is 85 to 90%. Thus, stand-off anodes are better utilized over their lifetime.

Further, in case of flush anodes, due to constant contact between the anode material and the surface, the surface may suffer from embrittlement caused by deposition of ions from the anode material to the cathode (the protected surface).

That said, stand-off anodes protrude from the surface on which they are installed. When used on external hull of a vessel, these affect the streamlined shape of the vessel, and lead to increased drag and higher powering requirements. In comparison, flush anodes are closer and more compliant to the vessel’s geometric shape and have lower effect on resistance. Thus, flush anodes are usually preferred on outer hull due to their low drag properties.

Both Flush mounted and slender stand-off anodes are further classified into Short and Long, depending on their ratio of length to width. The length affects the resistivity of the anode and thus its current capacity.

References:

https://thenavalarch.com/ship-corrosion-cathodic-protection-sacrificial-anodes/

Towers, Corrosion & Sustainability - Part 3

Cathodic protection is an extremely powerful technology in that it has the power to almost completely stop corrosion on the structure it is deployed on. Most corrosion protection methods are passive in nature – such as paints. Cathodic protection is very much active. It attacks the corrosion problem at its heart.

Corrosion in Reinforced Concrete Structures in the Middle East

Corrosion of reinforced concrete structures, both underground and above ground are a significant drain on the economy of most Middle Eastern countries. The majority of reinforced concrete structures in the Arabian Peninsula are chloride contaminated. As buildings and structures age, the chloride levels increase due to both chloride loading from atmospherically carried chlorides, and from capillary action which transports chloride laden ground water into concrete structures, where the water evaporates concentrating the salt above ground level. Allowing reinforced concrete structures to corrode freely results in buildings and structures that require repair or demolition due to structural failure.

One scenario of concrete damage due to corrosion happened in one of the Port in the Emirates which was constructed during 1970 and consists of pre-cast reinforced concrete beams and slabs with in situ concrete topping, supported by tubular steel piles. The first signs of deterioration were recorded after 7 years, evidenced by cracking of the lower corners of the pre-cast beams. Observing this, a series of detailed inspections were carried out.

An impressed current cathodic protection system incorporating metal oxide coated titanium anode was used to prevent further deterioration. The main advantage of impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) lies in its much greater output capacity as compared to galvanic anode systems. Therefore, whenever corrosion protection is required for large poorly coated or bare structures, ICCP would be the system of choice. ICCP systems requires the use of an external DC power supply and metal anode in direct contact with concrete. This is achieved by embedding a durable conductive anodic overlay. This method is called reinforced concrete cathodic protection (CP).

Corrosion: Understand It to Fight It

Knowing what your operations are up against is crucial in preventing costly, potentially dangerous, damage.

CORROSION COSTS

There have been many studies about the cost of corrosion.

NACE International, formerly known as the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (nace.org, Houston), conducted research from 1999 to 2001 that found direct corrosion costs in the United States amounted to $276 million (about 3.2% of the country’s GDP). In March 2016, NACE released a study that estimated worldwide corrosion amounted to $2.5 trillion (about 3.4% of the GDP) and indirect costs doubled that.

In the 2016 study, NACE estimated that between 15% and 35% of those corrosion-related costs could be eliminated using current technology. Researchers also offered that, comparing corrosion costs in 1975 with those in 1999, an intelligent approach to automobile design and elimination of corrosion appeared to have reduced the cost to American consumers by about 52%.

HOW CORROSION OCCURS

Energy is needed to convert mined ores into useful metals. Corrosion is the natural result of those metals trying to revert back to their original states. Consider, for example, that there’s very little difference between the rust from corroded steel and the iron ores that were originally refined to make that steel.

Fig. 1 Depicting a steel bar in liquid, this diagram shows how corrosion occurs. The liquid contains water. When iron ions (Fe) off the bar unite with oxygen in the water, different kinds of rust can form.

he actual corrosion process is an electrochemical reaction. Depicting a steel bar in a liquid, Fig. 2, shows how this reaction takes place. In the diagram, corrosion is attacking the anode, with iron ions being released into the solution, while hydrogen is being generated at the cathode. Water (H2O), is made up of two hydrogen ions and one oxygen ion. The iron ions from the anode (the Fe symbols) will ultimately unite with oxygen in the water, whereupon several different types of rust can form.

At the cathode site of the piece, atomic hydrogen is being released. Most of those hydrogen ions then mate with another hydrogen ion and form molecular hydrogen, the readily flammable gas we’re used to thinking about. But some of the ions remain solitary and they are the cause of the many forms of hydrogen damage including hydrogen embrittlement, cracking, and blisters.

For wet corrosion, a liquid must be present to provide the complete circuit required by the electromechanical reaction. Electrons that flow from the cathode to the anode have to eventually return to the cathode, and they do so by traveling through the liquid.

Chemicals such as road salt are in the silt. As the moisture in it evaporates, the chemical concentration increases. The chemicals, in turn, make the water more electrically conductive and significantly increase the rate of corrosion.   

Temperature is a third important factor in corrosion. Below freezing, ice can’t conduct corrosion currents. But, as the temperature increases, the corrosion rate increases. A good example is the rapid attack on hot piping with moist insulation. The exact solution chemistry has a major effect, but up to about 175 F (80 C), the corrosion rate usually rapidly increases, then drops off and ceases when the liquid vaporizes.

TYPES OF CORROSION

Uniform corrosion causes about 80% of all corrosion. It occurs where anode and cathode sites relatively uniformly swap position. Examples include the railroad-bridge-support column shown in Fig. 1, buried steel water lines, nooks and crannies on vehicles where deposits build up, and machine frames and bases in damp areas.

Pitting corrosion manifests as isolated areas of attack. With carbon steel, it may take years before leakage occurs while stainless-steel pitting might progress at a rate of 0.001 in. (0.025 mm)/day. Steel examples frequently include water and wastewater tanks. Stainless-steel examples include external areas with dirt deposits on them.    

Galvanic corrosion occurs when two chemically different metals are joined. One is always the anode and continuously attacked, protecting the other piece. A common example involves a joint between steel and copper pipe, where the steel will always be attacked. 

Fig 2. A common example of galvanic corrosion involves a joint between steel and copper pipe where the steel will always be attacked. This joint was submerged in water for only nine months before damage occurred.

Figure 3 shows a bronze fitting and a steel pipe that had been submerged in water. Perforation of the freshly cut pipe threads happened in only nine months.

Selective leaching is essentially galvanic corrosion within a metal. The common industrial application involves buried cast-iron water or waste lines where the graphite in the iron acts as a cathode, and the iron is eaten away, leaving a weak and brittle graphite pipe. When initially excavated, the pipe may appear almost undamaged, but sandblasting will rapidly remove the graphite leaving proof of the mechanism. (A frequent problem with buried-pipe replacement is that the new piece is always anodic to the older sections. The new one will rapidly corrode and leak, and personnel will blame the material, not knowing that the actual problem is their lack of corrosion knowledge.)

Crevice corrosion occurs in a small gap between two pieces of metal. It allows a corrosion mechanism to act in a way that’s similar to pitting corrosion. Although it’s not a common industrial mechanism, it can happen with poor joint control on welded assemblies.

Intergranular corrosion involves galvanic attack at the grain boundaries within a   metal. It’s usually associated with a poor choice in materials of construction for  chemical processes.

Erosion corrosion is a combination of actions. Corrosion results in an oxide on a metal’s surface. The oxide, though, slows the attack because it prevents fresh corrodent from reaching the surface. If there’s a fast fluid flow that scrubs the oxide off the surface, corrosion continues at a very rapid rate. A common site for erosion corrosion is the outer radius of piping elbows in steel lines with untreated waters and flow rates exceeding approximately 10 ft./sec. (3 m/sec). It’s also been seen in pumps as a result of poor choices of construction materials.

The previous seven categories/types are basically different-looking versions of galvanic corrosion. Two other corrosion types—stress-corrosion cracking and hydrogen damage—result in metallurgical damage leading to often hard-to-detect catastrophic failures.

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) can occur with almost any metal and is the result of a combination of stress, a chemistry that attacks the metal’s structure, and a susceptible metal. Industrially, although it is sometimes seen with nitrates and steel, the most common situation involves 300 series (austenitic) stainless steels and chlorides.

KEEP IN MIND

The battle against corrosion is never ending. In summary, if an area is wet and metal isn’t protected, there will be corrosion. What’s worse, the seriousness of the damage caused by this scourge may not be recognized for years. 

Causes of Stress Corrosion Cracking In Pipelines

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is a type of environmentally-assisted cracking (EAC), or the formation of cracks caused by various factors combined with the environment surrounding the pipeline. SCC occurs as a result of a combination between corrosion and tensile stress. Corrosion is related to the susceptibility of the material to the environment, while stresses may be residual, external or operational.

The most obvious identifying characteristic of SCC in pipelines, regardless of pH, is the appearance of patches or colonies of parallel cracks on the external surface of the pipe.

SCC is usually oriented longitudinally, and the dominant stress that causes it is usually internal pressure. Here we'll take a look at some different types of stress corrosion cracking, and how they occur. 

Conditions that Lead to Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC)

The occurrence of SCC depends on the simultaneous achievement of three conditions.

1. A Potent Cracking Environment
The conditions at the pipe surface are referred to as "the environment." This environment may be isolated from the surrounding soil by the pipe coating, and the conditions at the pipe surface may be different from those in the surrounding soil.

The four factors controlling the formation of the potent environment for the initiation of SCC are the type and condition of the coating, soil, temperature and cathodic current levels.

• Pipeline Coating Types: SCC often begins on the pipeline surface at areas where coating disbondment or coating damage occurs. The ability of a coating to resist disbonding is a primary performance property of coatings and affects all forms of external pipeline corrosion. Coatings with good adhesion properties are generally resistant to the mechanical action of soils from wet/dry cycles and freeze/thaw cycles. They also are better able to resist the effects of water transmission and cathodic disbondment.

• Soil: There are several factors relating to soils that influence the formation of an environment that's conducive to SCC. These are soil type, drainage, carbon dioxide (CO2), temperature and electrical conductivity. The amount of moisture in the soil also affects the formation of stress corrosion cracks.

• Cathodic Protection: The presence of cathodic protection (CP) current is a key factor in the formation of a carbonate/bicarbonate environment at the pipeline surface, where high pH SCC occurs. For near-neutral pH, SCC CP is absent.

• Temperature: Temperature has a significant effect on the occurrence of high pH SCC, while it has no effect on near-neutral pH SCC.

2. A Material that Is Susceptible to SCC
In addition to a potent environment, a susceptible pipe material is another necessary condition in the development of SCC. A number of pipe characteristics and qualities are considered to determine if they are possibly related to the susceptibility of a pipe to SCC. These factors include the pipe manufacturing process, type of steel, grade of steel, cleanliness of the steel (presence or absence of impurities or inclusions), steel composition, plastic deformation characteristics of the steel (cyclic-softening characteristics), steel temperature and pipe surface condition. (For examples of susceptible materials, see Hydrogen Embrittlement Issues with Zinc and Causes and Prevention of Corrosion on Welded Joints.)

3. A Tensile Stress that's Higher than Threshold Stress
When tensile stress is higher than threshold stress, this can lead to SCC, especially when there is some dynamic or cyclic component to the stress. (For more on this topic, read The Effects of Stress Concentration on Crack Propagation.) Stress is the "load" per unit area within the pipe wall. A buried pipeline is subject to different types of stress from different sources. The pipeline’s contents are under pressure and that is normally the greatest source of stress on the pipe wall. The soil that surrounds the pipe can move and is another source of stress. Pipe manufacturing processes, such as welding, can also create stresses. These are called residual stresses.

Types of Stress Corrosion Cracking

SCC in pipelines is further characterized as "high pH SCC" or "near-neutral pH SCC." Note that the "pH" here refers to the environment on the pipe surface at the crack location, not the pH of the soil itself.

High pH Stress Corrosion Cracking (Classic Type)
High pH SCC occurs on the external surface of pipelines where the electrolyte in contact with the pipe surface has a pH of 8-11 and the concentration of carbonate/bicarbonate is very high. This electrolyte is found at disbonded areas of coatings where the CP current is insufficient to protect the pipeline. This type of SCC may develop as a result of the interaction between hydroxyl ions produced by the cathode reaction and CO2 in the soil generated by the decay of organic matter.

This form of SCC is temperature-sensitive and occurs more frequently at higher temperature locations above 100°F (38°C). This is why there is a greater likelihood of SCC immediately downstream of the compressor stations where the operating temperature might reach 150°F (65°C).

The high-pH form of SCC is intergranular; the cracks propagate between the grains in the metal, and there is usually little evidence of general corrosion associated with the cracking. These cracks are very tight, narrow cracks.

Near-Neutral pH Stress Corrosion Cracking (Non-Classic Type)
A near-neutral pH SCC environment appears to be a dilute groundwater containing dissolved CO2. The source of the CO2 is typically the decay of organic matter and geochemical reactions in the soil. It has been found that low pH SCC occurs in environments with a low concentration of carbonic acid and bicarbonate ions with the presence of other species, including chloride, sulfate and nitrate ions.

Typically, the SCC colonies initiate at locations on the outside surface, where there is already pitting or general corrosion. This damage is sometimes obvious to the unaided eye, while at other times it is very difficult to observe.

The near-neutral-pH form of SCC is transgranular; the cracks propagate through the grains in the metal and are wider (more open) than they would be in the high-pH form of SCC. In other words, the crack sides have experienced metal loss from corrosion. Near-neutral-pH SCC is less temperature-dependent than high-pH SCC.

How Crack Growth Occurs

Stress corrosion cracking in pipelines begins when small cracks develop on the external surface of buried pipelines. These cracks are not visible initially, but as time passes, these individual cracks may grow and forms colonies, and many of them join together to form longer cracks.

The SCC phenomenon has four key stages:

1. The initiation of stress corrosion cracks

2. The slow growth of cracks

3. The coalescence of cracks

4. Crack propagation and structural failure

This process can take many years depending on the conditions of the steel, the environment and the stresses to which a pipeline is subjected. Consequently, failure as a result of SCC is relatively rare, although failures can be very costly and destructive when they do occur.

Sources:

https://www.corrosionpedia.com

https://pgjonline.com

Conventional Steel Corrosion and Durability Design

Conventional corrosion is an electrochemical redox reaction, thus when steel is in contact with an electrolyte and oxygen, then steel mass will be lost, this is more pronounce in sea water. Corrosion, compared to time is generally a linear process and is uniformly spread over the exposed area.

Table 1. Recommended value for the loss of thickness (mm) due to corrosion for piles and sheet piles in fresh water or in sea water

On the basis of this table the common method utilised in accounting for corrosion is to utilise a sacrificial thickness by increasing the thickness of the pile by at least 4mm.

However, for construction in the Arabian gulf this method may not be the optimal solution due to the climatic and seawater conditions. The gulf coastline experiences some of the most extreme weather conditions with summer temperature reaching up to mid to high forties, with the salinity of the Gulf generally being highly variable with some sections near the coast reaching a concentration of 10 % (Fookes et al). In general, the salinity of the Gulf, at 4 %, is also higher than the open ocean, at 3 %.

The sacrificial thickness specification for a pile in sea water in zone of high attack is 3.75 mm, which means that a corrosion rate of 0.075 mm/year is adopted. However, according to research presented in CIRIA C634 that is the minimum rate of corrosion reported. The average corrosion rates reported range from 0.08 to 0.2 mm/side/year. For the harsh aggressive environment of the Arabian Gulf compounded with high and variable salinity of sea water, with the high temperatures a higher corrosion rate in design is recommended for optimal durability. The highest corrosion rates range from 0.17 to 0.34 mm/side/year. For a worst-case scenario, the highest corrosion rate will see a loss of 17 mm of steel, and if a sacrificial thickness of 4 mm is utilised, it will only protect the integrity of the member for 12 years.

Table 2. Corrosion Rates found in Literature

Concrete Cancer

The Middle East is well known for the presence of a very aggressive salty water table that sits barely a few meters below the surface. As we all know, salt and water coupled with heat are the perfect blend to create corrosion nightmare of concrete structures.

Some Facts

Concrete Cancer, often identified by flaking concrete or rust stains, which originate deep within the concrete is a serious problem caused by corroding/rusted reinforcing steel from within the concrete. As steel rusts it can expand up to 7 times its original size causing the surrounding concrete to crack. As the steel pushes the concrete away, more water gets to the steel expediting the process.

The process is generally due to:

·       Presence of large quantities of water and salt

·       The ends of reinforcing being too close to the surface allowing water to seep through concrete and react with the steel

·       Poorly treated reinforcing steel being used in the original pour of the slab

·       Fractures in the concrete allowing water to penetrate the concrete and react with the steel

What do we do?

Spalled concrete can be a safety hazard. Concrete cancer and delaminated concrete should be treated immediately as deferring the treatment will inevitably lead to increased problems into the future.

Similarly, treating the visual aspects such as rendering over the steel are short-term solutions as the rusting process will continue below the surface causing the steel to again displace the concrete and in some cases, rust so badly the steel eventually needs replacement. This approach – we call it the ‘make up’ approach – is aesthetic. In essence, the ugly bits are removed and given a nice clean looking finish, however the underlying problem is very much still present. Within a short time, the area adjacent to the area repaired is cracking and breaking and requires repair. You are back to square one.

The Real Stuff…

The appropriate and effective treatment necessary is cathodic protection – an electrochemical method of arresting corrosion for an extended period of time – ranging from 5 years to 50 years.

Ducorr’s SHIELD™ technology is easy to install into dilapidated atmospherically exposed concrete areas and achieve excellent corrosion protection. The system uses permanent power to provide sustained protection by simply making the corrosion reaction impossible to occur. There’s lots of thermodynamic theory behind, which would be too long for this article – but in essence cathodic protection is the ONLY method that address corrosion at an elemental level eliminating the possibility of any further damage.

The Dubai Water Canal is key infrastructure project that involves the construction of water canal that routes just east of Sheikh Zayed Road to the Jumeirah beach. The canal mainly consists of block wall construction. However, in a minor section of the canal, the construction incorporates a reinforced concrete diaphragm wall. The project specification requires that the reinforcing steel of this diaphragm wall be protected from corrosion using cathodic protection designed and installed by DUCORR.

Contact us to deploy your system now.