Steel corrosion is a costly problem – in fact the annual direct cost of metallic corrosion worldwide is $2.2 Trillion USD. North America is a large contributor to these annual costs, as the annual cost of corrosion in the US is $423 Billion – the equivalent of 3.1% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Though steel corrosion, whether in atmospheric, soil, water, or other exposures, is a natural phenomenon, estimates show 25-30% could be stymied if proper corrosion protection methods were employed.
Selecting the most effective corrosion protection system (i.e. hot-dip galvanizing, painting/powder coating, stainless or weathering steel, or a duplex system) is important. Your analysis of each method should include such things as the durability, coating’s maintenance schedule and service life, sustainability, and initial and life-cycle costs.
The information in this section will help you evaluate hot-dip galvanized steel in each of these areas, and also provide a comparison to other corrosion protection systems. Use the links to the left to learn more about how hot-dip galvanized steel can benefit your next project.
