Corrosion and Bridges

Wikipedia has a list of bridge failures here, many of them caused by corrosion. One of the most well-known bridge failures is the Silver Bridge, between Point Pleasant, West Virginia and Kanauga, Ohio, that failed in 1967 and inspired the book Mothman Prophecies and the film of the same name. On Tuesday two tension rods and a crossbeam from a recently installed repair collapsed during the evening commute, causing the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge to be closed. The cause is not yet known. More information here.

EDIT: Bay Bridge re-opens.

Retired NTSB investigator Charles Batten dead at 72

Charles Hershel Batten, 72, died at his residence in the Lake of the Woods community, Locust Grove, Va., on Oct. 24, 2009.

from Energy Pipeline News

Corrosion in the House that Ruth Built?

Will the new $1.5B Yankee Statium explode¹ due to corrosion problems? Read more here.

¹ No.

Cathodic Protection in Your Home

Every month tens of thousands of hot water tanks burst prematurely due to corrosion causing severe water damage to property both indoors and outdoors, yet this can easily be avoided. There is one simple thing you can do NOW to protect your hot water tank from the destructive effects of corrosion on your tank. Following a schedule of timely replacement of the sacrificial anode in your hot water tank will double, or even triple, its life.

See here for full article.

[Editor's note: Here is the online parts list for The Official Corrosion Blog Water Heater (er, the one at my house). It has a six year warranty. Coincidently it is about five and a half years old, it was installed when I bought my house (The Official Corrosion Blog House) in March 2004. The anode rod is part number 7, and screws into the top of the heater. A new anode only costs $25.99, and probably will extend the life of my heater by another 6 years or so. A new heater of this size costs around $400. I just ordered a new anode. I'll post pictures when I swap the old one out.]

What does WD-40 Stand For?

WD-40 literally stands for Water Displacement, 40th attempt. That's the name straight out of the lab book used by the chemist who developed WD-40 back in 1953. The chemist, Norm Larsen, was attempting to concoct a formula to prevent corrosion-a task which is done by displacing water. Norm's persistence paid off when he perfected the formula on his 40th try.

From wd40.com.

[Editor's note: WD-40 prevents corrosion by eliminating one of the four components required for a corrosion cell, the electrolyte, by displacing the water]

Many uses of WD-40 here.

Many of the many uses rebutted on snopes.com.

PHMSA Approves Kinder Morgan's Alternative MAOP

Pipeline transportation and energy storage company Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP said on Oct. 8 that it has received authorization from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to increase the maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) on selected segments of three major natural gas pipelines that it operates from 72 to 80 percent of design.

See full story at Energy Pipeline News here.

NACE is conducting a seminar on alternative MAOP in Houston, Texas in January 2010. More information on the event "Pipeline Integrity Management Seminar: Investigating the 80% Rule" can be found on NACE's website here.

The final rule can be found here. PHMSA has a frequently-asked questions page regarding the new rule here.

Corrosion of World Monuments

The World Monuments Fund announced the 2010 World Monuments Watch, a list of 93 sites in 43 countries termed “at risk.” The list includes nine sites in the U.S. and 15 dating from the 20th century. One of the sites is the Gothic Revival, an all-steel basilica of San Sebastian in Manila. After earthquakes in 1645, 1762, and 1863 destroyed the first three stone and brick churches erected on this site, the Spanish Insular government recommended a new church be built of steel. Since its completion in 1891, San Sebastian has continued to play a significant religious and social role as the community parish and through its involvement in outreach programs. The innovative steel construction remains unique and reflects the daringness of the design and the skill of local craftsmen. Persistent corrosion, leaks, and material loss threaten the Basilica, but its most pervasive threat remains invisible: the structural bracing within cavity walls is severely deteriorating, potentially rendering the stability and continued functionality of San Sebastian precarious.

Extending the Life of a Highway Bridge by Corrosion Control

Galvanic cathodic protection used to extend the life of a highway bridge in Oregon here.

At one time the state had planned to replace the bridge with a wider bridge, but the cost of a new bridge expanded to nearly $10 million from an initial estimate of $1.8 million because of environmental concerns with the creek it crosses. The cost of the reconstruction of the existing bridge is estimated at about $1 million.

Joint corrosion terminology standard developed by ASTM International and NACE International

A joint corrosion terminology standard has been developed by ASTM International and NACE International. The new standard is NACE/ASTM G193, Terminology and Acronyms Relating to Corrosion.

“The new NACE/ASTM joint terminology standard will be used by not only ASTM and NACE, but also by other corrosion organizations worldwide to prevent confusion in corrosion testing and in the interpretation of corrosion standards,” says Harvey Hack, senior advisory engineer, Northrop Grumman Corp., Undersea Systems, and chair of J01.02.

TO download the standard from nace.org, click here. (PDF, NACE Member Price: $0.00, Non-Member Price: $42.00)

From ASTM's Twitter site.

Elemental Corrosion

Honda Element owner complains of filiform corrosion on wheels. See more information about filiform corrosion here.

A wee bit of corrosion

A wee bit of corrosion.

160 Days and Counting Till the World’s Largest Corrosion Conference!

The numbers don't lie! The excitement is building about CORROSION 2010 The exhibit hall is already over 80% sold A record setting 748 abstracts were submitted during the conference call for papers Over 850 hours of symposia, forums, tutorials/workshops, and technical meetings Over 20 different networking events throughout the week Over 350 exhibiting companies featuring products, and services specifically for your corrosion needs Join over 5,000 corrosion professionals from around the world for the world's largest corrosion conference in San Antonio, Texas on March 14-18, 2010 at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center. Reserve your hotel today! Book your room from the 15 beautiful hotels located along the famous San Antonio Riverwalk, near the historic Alamo, or within walking distance of the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center. Click here for information on reserving your hotel today. Register Today What's new for 2010? Corrosion Management Conference: Pipeline Corrosion Product Showcase Nuclear Coatings Forum Maintenance Painting in Electric Utility Generation, Transmission, and Distribution Systems Forum A Complete Overview on Powder Coatings Forum Future Challenges of Deepwater and Arctic Offshore Corrosion and Integrity Management Forum DoD Product Introduction Workshop-New processes to presenting products to the military Fiesta Two-Step NACE Foundation event Toast from Your Host reception Customize your conference Build your personal schedule with My Itinerary to stay informed on the 500+ papers, 350 technical committee meetings, and 20+ events at CORROSION 2010. CORROSION 2010: Deep in the heart of Texas! San Antonio's old world Spanish flair and blend of cultures make it one of America's most picturesque cities. It is the seventh largest city in the U.S. and one of the most visited destinations in Texas. While in San Antonio visit the historic Alamo, walk the popular Riverwalk, or taste delicious Tex-Mex food that can be found on almost every street corner. Click here for more information on San Antonio's history, attractions, and restaurants. Register now and save $100 on the full conference registration fee Thank you to our CORROSION 2010 sponsors:

Bayou to Purchase Canadian Pipe Coating Plant

The Bayou Companies, Inc. (Bayou), a subsidiary of Insituform Technologies, Inc., who also recently aquired Corrpro Companies, announced an agreement to acquire Garneau's pipe coating and insulation facility and associated assets in Camrose, Alberta, Canada. For more information, see here.

From PaintSquare News.