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ISO 12944 – Protective Paint Systems

ISO 12944 – Protective Paint Systems

Corrosion must be considered early in the design of steel structures. If left unprotected in corrosive environments, steel structures are liable to corrosion that can be both costly and put lives in danger.

One way to control corrosion is to use paints and coatings. ISO 12944 is the internationally recognised standard that provides instruction and guidance to those working with steel structure design, including planners, painters, inspectors, maintenance, and manufacturers of coatings.

How a steel structure is designed has a real bearing on the ability to protect it against corrosion. Poorly designed structures may have corrosion traps which are difficult to protect and from which corrosion can spread rapidly.

The basic steel structure design criteria that may be exposed to corrosive environments include keeping the design simple and minimising surfaces that may be exposed to corrosive pressures.

Designers should incorporate design elements to prevent water being trapped and where foreign matter may combine to increase the potential for corrosion. Design features that might be considered include inclined surfaces, drainage systems, and chamfered edges.

• The shape of the structure
• The use of the structure
• Structural elements such as method of joining
• Environmental factors

In many instances, steelwork will be in a warm dry interior where it will not corrode, and the structural stability of the building will not be threatened during its design life (generally taken as 50 years). In such conditions (classified as C1) no corrosion coating is required. Examples include steelwork inside dry buildings with neutral atmospheres such as multi-storey office buildings, shops, schools, hotels, residential buildings, airport terminals, and hospitals, etc.

However, when steelwork is exposed to moisture, corrosion will occur at a rate depending on the severity of the environment. In such cases, a coating system appropriate to the environment category should be provided. Note that some buildings may contain areas where different environment conditions apply e.g. hospitals would normally be C1, but may contain kitchens and laundry areas that would normally be C3. Some types of buildings, such as car parks may fall into any of the above categories or combinations of them depending upon their location, design and construction.

Experienced technical sales of Tekmetsan will help you in determining what kind of corrosion class your structure falls. After identifying the corrosion class, our experts will offer you the appropriate coating solution for your budget.

Tekmetsan has very deep knowledge in both high and low corrosion environments and delivered various steel structures with various coating options. Get in contact with us today and let’s discuss your steel building.