HDG or Hot dip galvanizing is used for safeguarding steel from corrosion in few of the imaginable harshest environments. Still, it is said to offer maintenance-free convenience and longevity, when compared to other types of products. Hot dip galvanizing corrosion resistance tends to vary depending upon its surroundings, but its corrosion rate is about 1/30 of that of bare steel when similar environment is taken into consideration. Actual consumption rate measurement of coating at the initial years of service does offer excellent data to project conservative estimate for rest of the life to that of its first maintenance. The reason is because, it is on the surface that zinc corrosion products are known to build on. In majority of the environments, it is considered to be fairly insoluble and adherent, with the rate of corrosion slowing down with time.
Other factors to consider
Zinc coating is said to come with corrosion resistance that is primarily determined by the coating thickness. However, it varies with environmental conditions and its severity. Hot tip galvanizing is affected in a different manner by each environment, based upon unique series of corrosion variables. The coating’s lifetime predictability is considered to be crucial to plan and budget for necessary maintenance.
Irrespective of being exposed to the atmosphere, or subjected to snow, blazing UV rays, or other types of elements, embedded in soil, submerged in water or concrete or any other type of environment, such type of steel has the capability to withstand various types of corrosive elements. It also can fulfill the desired design life. There are present several sites that does offer good idea about the performance of such type of steel products.
Other things to consider
The truth is that before using hot dip galvanized steel for the project, there is a genuine need to know as to how long it can last. Like with any type of corrosion protection system, there are two common questions pertaining to this product with regards to the costs associated and coating life. A tool has been developed to allow the specifiers to refer quickly a visual guide which approximates the performance of corrosion protection of this steel in different atmospheric conditions.
The estimated time for the initial maintenance of zinc coating against coating thickness in atmospheric applications is depicted through the initial maintenance chart. The coating life estimation in water or soil is not applicable with this chart. It also is known to feature 5 distinctive plotlines that represents climate types along with differing rate of corrosion. With such plotlines as well as knowledge of the coating thickness, trying to estimate the time of the first maintenance of the coating becomes quite simple, similar to that of reading few points on the graph.
With some research and understanding it becomes easier to use the time to initial maintenance chart. When carefully followed, it is likely to give the desired result and show how much long the hot dip galvanized metal can last.