The corrosion of metal supports on bridges
Corrosion is something that can happen to all metals. In the United States alone the cost of upkeep and repair is 276 billion dollars annually. For a building metal with such a negative and expensive side effect, it is still used very commonly. Knowing how corrosion works we can learn how to prevent it and therefore stop the deterioration of metals used for buildings.
The cause of corrosion is the metal reacting with the natural elements all around it in nature. When water vapors or gases such as chlorine, hydrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and more come in contact with the surface of the metal it causes corrosion. Locations with higher humidity and pollution in the air cause the rates of corrosion to be faster. The most widely known type of corrosion is rust; this is when iron oxides form cousin deterioration on the iron from reacting to air or other chemicals. Metals oxidizing is the oxygen gaining electrons from the different types of metals causing them to weaken.
Corrosion should be taken seriously. It is much more than a bit of rust. Corrosion causes irreversible damage to the construction that can cause bridges to collapse, pipelines to break and buildings to deteriorate. Corrosion causes the loss of metal off the surface and the loss of efficiency in the metal as well. It also causes a change in the chemical properties of the metal as well as the physical look of the metal. For construction workers, corrosion can make an unsafe environment for them to work in, as well as loss of building material and equipment. This causes loss of value and makes the building of properties more expensive than the properties themselves.
With all the negatives it can cause it's very important to do the best to try and avoid these problems. As it would be merely impossible to stop corrosion altogether, there are some ways of preventing it or reducing the rates of corrosion. One way is to use a protective layer that will stop the metal from having contact with other elements. This method can work up until the outer layer is damaged and the metal is visible, or if it is not applied correctly and the air is trapped between the metal and protective layer. The most important is inspecting and catching signs of corrosion early such as repairing whole or damages as soon as they happen.
In conclusion, corrosion is a serious problem that more than the building industry deals with each year. Knowing how corrosion is caused is the first step into preventing it, no matter what job you have in the future having some encounter with corrosion is inevitable and important to know what you're dealing with.
References
“Corrosion Prevention - Humidity Control Is the Key | Bry-Air.” Bryair, https://www.bryair.com/news-and-events/articles/corrosion-causes-and-prevention/
Accessed 16 May 2021
Jekyll1911. “What Are The Disadvantages Of Corrosion? - Ceramics.” Ceramics, Ceramics, 6 Feb. 2020, https://expandusceramics.com/qa/what-are-the-disadvantages-of-corrosion.html.
“What Is Corrosion?” ECS, https://www.electrochem.org/corrosion-science/ Accessed 16 May 2021.
“What Is the Cost of Corrosion? | Thomas Industrial Coatings.” Thomas Industrial Coatings, https://www.facebook.com/ThomasIndustrialCoatings, 3 Apr. 2015, https://www.thomasindcoatings.com/what-does-corrosion-cost/
“How to Combat Corrosion, a Top Threat for Bridges.” Bridge Masters, 28 Sept. 2018, https://bridgemastersinc.com/combat-corrosion/
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