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Lab Testing

The Missing Piece: Collaborations Between Field Investigators and Laboratory Chemists

1 Comment / Coating Failure, Coatings, Lab Testing /

Chances are, you have seen at least one procedural cop drama over the years. These shows all tend to follow a fairly standard formula: the crime occurs, the investigator is called in, the investigator gathers clues and interviews suspects, evidence is sent to a laboratory to confirm or refute theories, and by the end of […]

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accelerated weathering corrosion

How Long Should You Run an Accelerated Weathering/Corrosion Test?

3 Comments / Corrosion, Lab Testing /

“I would like to issue a 30-year warranty on my product.  How long of a test should I run to correlate hours to years?” or, “Our engineering standard requires 2000 hours of exposure.  Is that long enough?” and what is the correlation in years?”  These are important questions, and are challenging to answer. This article

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coating selection

Coating System Selection Based on Performance Evaluations

Coatings, Lab Testing, Specifications /

Independent verification of coating system performance based on laboratory testing and/or field exposure is a critical component to coating system selection. For a given coating system, there may be six or eight manufacturers. It is not safe to assume that all coating systems within a given generic category are created equal. Therefore, careful evaluation of

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slip-coefficient

Slip Coefficient of Bolted Connections: What is it and Why is it Important?

Bridges, Buildings, Lab Testing /

Nearly every structure is an assemblage of individual parts or members that must be fastened together, usually at the ends of the member, by some means.  Welding is one such means and is quite effective.  The other usual means is to use fasteners such as rivets or bolts.  This article is concerned with bolting, in

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scrubability

What is Scrub Resistance of a Paint and Why is it Important?

Commercial, Lab Testing /

In the paint industry, the property of scrub resistance is measured as the ability to resist wearing or degradation of a dried paint film. The wear or degredation is assessed either visually or by weight loss, when using a scrubability instrument or an abrasion tester.  According to the ASTM test methods governing scrub resistance testing,

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A Logical Approach to Coating Failure Investigations

Coating Failure, Lab Testing /

No one wants a coating to fail prematurely; not the general contractor, the painting contractor, the owner, or the specification writer.  Coating failures lead to costs that are unaccounted for, project delays, equipment having to be out of service, liquidated damages, and oftentimes litigation.  Like automobile accidents, coating failures occur even though everyone is trying

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rilem test tube

Wind-Driven Rain Resistance Testing of Exterior Coating Systems

2 Comments / Buildings, Coating Assessment, Commercial, Concrete Walls, Lab Testing /

Controlling moisture intrusion from blowing rain is a fundamental part of designing a functional and durable building. Driving rain is typically the largest source of bulk moisture for above-grade building assemblies.1 Inadequate wind-driven rain resistance can lead to moisture intrusion in building assemblies that are intended to stay dry, causing problems for building owners and

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depressurization

Under Pressure: The Effects of Rapid Depressurization on Coating System Performance

1 Comment / Lab Testing, Pipeline Coatings /

The oil and gas production and distribution industry presents unique challenges associated with protective coatings performance. Recently, a group of environmental activists, armed only with bolt cutters, broke into valve stations across four states and closed the shut-off valves of five cross-border oil pipelines, which can transport as much as 2.8 million barrels of crude

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permeability

The Significance of the Permeability of Paints

Buildings, Commercial, Concrete Walls, Lab Testing /

Permeability of Applied Paints & Coatings… Do I want a permeable coating or not? The answer to the question posed is based on the substrate and the service environment. All paint and coatings are permeable to water, just to different degrees. A high resistance to permeability is likely desirable for lining applied to the interior

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