Demonstration and Validation of Reactive Vitreous Coatings to Prevent Corrosion of Steel Fixtures Attached to Masonry Walls
Abstract
Masonry block and brick wall veneer construction, widely used on military installations, is subject to rapid deterioration when the ferrous hardware tying brick veneer to substrate corrodes prematurely. Corrosion of veneer-anchor hardware can compromise structural integrity and cause fracture and spalling of masonry materials. Because these building ties are concealed beneath the veneer, corrosion can proceed undetected until structural damage occurs. A new reactive silicate material that can be bonded to steel hardware with a layer of vitreous enamel, developed by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, was evaluated for corrosion-protection performance in a demonstration project at Fort Stewart, GA. When fractured, this coating produces a self-healing reaction by formation of silicate hydration products that passivate any exposed steel surface. Steel anchors were coated with the vitreous enamel and then installed in sections of damaged brick veneer on buildings needing rehabilitation. Brick/block coupons were also fabricated using these anchors for exposure and ASTM E754 pullout-strength testing. Results show that the enamel-coated ties were more corrosion resistant than both bare steel and galvanized ties used in the exposure specimens. Issues with coating coverage and flaking were noted, and implementation caveats are offered. The project return on investment was 3.31.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1025132
Entities
People
- Christopher Olaes
- Darrell Skinner
- Steven C. Sweeney
Organizations
- Construction Engineering Research Laboratory