| Salt Chemically Attacks Iron to Cause Corrosion.
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Contractor’s
Choice to Prevent Corrosion in Concrete – A Corrosion Inhibitor.
| A
Corrosion Inhibitor is Fast, Easy to Use and Low in Cost.Corrosion
Inhibitors Have Been Used Successfully in Concrete for over 20 years in North America. |
Corrosion is a destructive
electro-chemical process, which takes place in reinforced concrete when it is placed in
seawater. Seawater diffuses through the pores in concrete and comes in contact with the
reinforcing steel. The result is rust, which brakes the concrete apart. An example of a
structure subjected to such corrosive forces is the large pier built in Long Beach,
California. However that pier, built many years ago, was protected with a commercial
corrosion inhibitor and is still in fine condition. |
| Docks,
Wharves and Piers |
The seacoast is an especially bad area
for corrosion because the salt is not only in the water; it is in the moist air.
Commercial corrosion inhibitors have been used in bridges and piers on both coasts of the
US to protect them from the ravages of the salt water. Continuous exposure to seawater is
an extreme condition where corrosion inhibitors have been found to be effective. Numerous
reinforced concrete projects along the seacoast have been documented with corrosion
inhibitors. Port Authorities, the US Navy and the Corps of Engineers have used them.
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| Parking
Garages, Bridges, Buildings and Walls |
Corrosion inhibitors have been found to
be effective in many other types of structures, such as parking garages. Such structures
are repeatedly subjected to doses of deicing salts picked up by vehicles and deposited in
the structure while parked. Corrosion inhibitors have been successfully used in numerous
parking structures located in northern climates. |
| Corrosion
Inhibitors and Concrete Work Together |
Unlike other protection methods that isolate
the steel from the concrete, causing a loss of bond, corrosion inhibitors work with the
natural corrosion protection mechanisms in concrete to protect the steel. The high
alkalinity in concrete helps to protect the rebars or prestressing strands from corrosion.
The initial work on corrosion inhibitors for concrete was done in the early 60’ and
some parking facilities have been in place for over 20 years with no signs of
deterioration. Engineers and contractors use corrosion inhibitors to assure durable
concrete at a low cost that is easy to place. |
| No
Extra Labor Costs |
The corrosion inhibitor is mixed in the
concrete, and the strength of the concrete and the bond are not disturbed. In most cases,
they are enhanced. There is no extra labor; it saves money and inventory. Many Engineers
and Contractors reported that the use of a corrosion inhibitor was at least as effective
as other forms of protection, such as epoxy-coated steel, but much easier to use. |
| CCIA |
The members of the Concrete Corrosion Inhibitors (CCIA) are Axim Concrete Technologies, Grace Construction Products and Master Builders. These major suppliers produce corrosion inhibitors that have been tested and sold for use in severe conditions for many years. For information, see our web page www.corrosioninhibitors.org or call us at 301/340-7368. |
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