Ken Trimber

corrosion protection

Corrosion Protection of a Halifax Harbour Bridge: Challenges, Issues and Opportunities

Leave a Comment / Corrosion / By

The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge is a 1.3-kilometer-long (4,265-foot-long) cable suspension bridge that carries automotive traffic over the Halifax Harbour between Dartmouth and Halifax. There are four approach spans to the west cable bent on the Halifax end and 12 approach spans to the east cable bent on the Dartmouth end. The bridge was opened …

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precast concrete inspection and coating application

Inspection of the Precast Concrete Surface Preparation and Coating Application

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Introduction – Precast concrete is cleaned and painted for both beautification and protection.  Painting may involve the use of protective coatings, stains, or water repellents.  For the materials to adhere and provide the desired service life, the quality of surface preparation and application must be assured.  This can be accomplished by thoroughly inspecting each phase …

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abrasive selection

Expendable and Recyclable Abrasives – Pros and Cons

Abrasives / By

The purpose of expendable and recyclable abrasives as used in this article is to prepare surfaces for the subsequent application of protective coatings. The SSPC glossary defines expendable and recyclable abrasives as follows: Expendable Abrasive – An abrasive that usually is discarded after one use. Recyclable Abrasive – Abrasive blasting material such as steel shot …

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abrasive blast cleaning

Abrasive Blast Cleaning of Non-Ferrous Metals

Surface Preparation / By

Most of the SSPC surface preparation standards focus on the preparation of steel, either by abrasive blast cleaning (dry and wet), power tool cleaning, or water jetting.  Recognizing that galvanizing, non-ferrous metals and various types of stainless steel also need to be prepared for painting, SSPC published a standard for brush-off blast cleaning these metals …

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shop painting

Total Shop Painting of New Bridge Steel – Pros and Cons

Steel / By

When all coats of a paint system are applied to bridge steel in an enclosed shop, the quality of the cleaning and painting is typically quite good.  The steel is blast cleaned and painted in a controlled environment, minimizing or eliminating the concerns with temperature, relative humidity, dew point, and inclement weather that often plague …

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SSPC Moisture Testing Guide and Pinhole Standard

2 Comments / Coating Standards / By

Moisture in walls can affect the performance of coating and water-repellent systems. While ASTM publishes standards for determining the moisture content of cementitious substrates, their primary focus is concrete floors. Until this year, little guidance was available for the measurement of moisture content in walls, either from ASTM or other organizations. Similarly, tolerance of pinholes …

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Problem Solved: My Paint Looks Bad — Can I Prove It Has Faded?

Buildings, Coating Assessment, Commercial / By

As a building owner, if you begin to suspect that the paint on your building has faded and become dull, your next concern may be whether there is a way to prove that has occurred. Additionally, you will want to know if you have any recourse with the manufacturer if those assumptions are correct. Most …

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Collect with Care: How to Effectively Gather Paint Samples for Off-Site Analysis

Coating Failure, Lab Testing / By

When paint is blistering and peeling, laboratory analysis is often required to determine the cause. But what types of samples are needed, and how should the samples be collected? These are important questions, as the greatest sources of error faced by laboratories when analyzing coating failures occur before the box of samples is even opened. …

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failure paint to hot dip galvanizing

Preparing Hot Dip Galvanizing for Painting – It’s not Overly Complicated

2 Comments / Galvanizing, Surface Cleanliness, Surface Preparation / By

Bare galvanizing provides excellent corrosion protection at a pH between 7 and 13, but corrosion of the zinc increases as the pH becomes more acidic (less than 7), or more alkaline (greater than 13).  When galvanizing is exposed to the lower or higher pH ranges, it should be painted.  Paint should also be applied when …

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