Safety is one of the biggest concerns when corrosion occurs on steel projects, including bridges, buildings, stadiums, race tracks, roller coasters, and rides. When steel is exposed to the atmosphere it begins to corrode. Often the corrosion is blatantly visible, and an eyesore to the surrounding areas. Other times corrosion is unknown and is only discovered after a mishap or tragedy. To ensure safety, it is important to protect steel from the surrounding elements by providing it with a protective coating.

Hot-dip galvanizing provides steel with a metallurgically bonded coating that provides barrier and sacrificial protection to the underlying steel. The steel is dipped into a bath of molten zinc, where a chemical reaction bonds the zinc to the steel, creating a strong, protective coating. Steel pieces that have been hot-dip galvanized tend to have a lifespan of at least 75 years, depending on the type of atmosphere and conditions in which the project is located.

For steel used in more corrosive environments, such as industrial factories or heavily used carnival rides, it is essential to protect the steel from the elements. Hot-dip galvanizing has been used in many recreational applications. Wisdom Rides uses galvanized steel in many of their products because of its corrosion resistance, as seen in their ride, Genesis. In Niagara Falls, Canada, Marine Land’s Sky Screamer uses hot-dip galvanized steel to provide corrosion protection to the tower. The Starship 3000 on the New Jersey Pier is another example of a ride using galvanized steel because of it’s strong, protective, corrosion resistant coating.

The AGA provides a large amount of information regarding the use of hot-dip galvanized steel in an array of environments. Peruse the recreation and entertainment section of the AGA Project Gallery to see more examples of rides using galvanizing to protect the steel. Other examples of galvanized projects such as bridges, sporting arenas, water parks, and more can be found in the AGA Project Gallery. As always, the AGA is available to answer any corrosion protection questions via our website, email, or by calling our office at 720-554-0900.