Asset Management Preservation

Presented By: Aaron Dacey, Coatings and Corrosion Engineer; North Carolina Department of Transportation

Introduction• This webinar will discuss protective coating of

complex steel structures can be complicated, making the maintenance of these assets and their components a challenge. Each asset may have its own maintenance schedule, performance metrics and life-cycle expectations. This webinar will explain how to develop an effective asset management preservation program, based on these considerations, to achieve the optimal life of the coating system.

The Importance of Protective Coatings• Coatings play a critical role in protecting

equipment and infrastructure from corrosion and failure in both the public and private sectors

The Importance of Protective Coatings• Protective coatings help to keep:• Processing plants operational• Maintain the integrity of pipelines and

storage tanks• Protect bridges, towers, and platforms• Assure readiness of military ships, aircraft,

and vehicles

Coatings Asset Management Program• Coating materials have a limited life

expectancy; therefore, maintenance is important for achieving the design life of a properly installed coating system as well as preserving the integrity of equipment and infrastructure that the coating is being applied to

Why Have a Coatings Asset Management Program?• Ensures regular checks on the existing

coating system and timely in-service repairs

• Provides asset integrity and operational safety of facility• A corrosive environment can impact the

integrity of a structure

Why Have a Coatings Asset Management Program?• Achieve longer service life of coatings• Improved performance time

• Maximizes coatings investment• Improved uptime• Reduce overall cost of project

Coatings Asset Management Program• The program consists of:• Routinely evaluating the protective coatings

applied • When necessary, creating a design for

rehabilitation of the assets

Basic Elements of a Good Coatings Asset Management Program• Qualified coatings• Trained Coating Applicators• Qualified Contractors• Good Specifications• Qualified Inspection• Conducting Routine Surveys Post

Application

Qualified Coatings

• Coatings being applied within a facility should be verified for:• Achieving performance properties for

environment being placed in• Where does this need to live? Is it near the

coast? Is it in a hot and humid climate? Is it coating to experience extreme cold temperatures?

Qualified Coatings

• Being compatible with previous coating applied (if conducting repair and maintenance work)

• Meeting requirements of coating specification• Service life• Is the expected service life 5 years? 15 years?

20 years?

Qualified Coatings

• It is good practice to require a certificate of conformance from coating manufacturer verifying the performance properties expected and specified are being met

Trained Coating Applicators

• Applicators applying material should be properly trained to avoid costly mistakes.

• Examples of acceptable training is:• SSPC CAS Level 1 and Level 2• SSPC C7 (Abrasive Blasting)• SSPC C12 (Airless Spray)

Qualified Contractors

• Specifying qualified contractors provides the owner “piece of mind” that the work is being completed by trained contractors per the coating manufacturer’s product data sheet and job specification• SSPC QP 1• SSPC QP 2• SSPC QP 3

Good Specifications

• In order to prevent premature corrosion, specifications must be written in a clear and concise manner- calling out specifics.

• Words such as must and shall are used in lieu of could and should.

• Proper Coatings must be specified

Qualified Inspection

• All projects should have a qualified inspector performing inspection at major hold points throughout the project• Pre Surface Preparation• Surface Preparation• Coating Application• Post Coating Application

Qualified Inspection

• Examples of qualified inspection programs are:• SSPC PCI: Protective Coatings Inspector• SSPC BCI: Bridge Coating Inspector• SSPC CCI: Concrete Coating Inspector• NACE CIP: Coating Inspector Program• FROSIO

Conducting Routine Surveys Post Application

• Conducting routine surveys post application allows the owner to see how the coating is performing and address problems early on

• It is good practice to perform a yearly survey

Survey Reports• Survey reports should consist of the

following basics:• Precise location of structure• Original date coating work was completed• The manufacturer and type of coating originally

applied• Any notes regarding special considerations or

conditions employed during coating application• Requirement for and record of inspections

Survey Reports

• Condition ratings and definitions need to be decided prior to the start of any survey to ensure that each yearly survey can be compared to the previous years

The ABC Rating System

• A- They don’t have to do anything within 3 years• Good

• B- They have to do something within 3 years• Generally OK, but plan for some maintenance

• C- They have to do something within 1 year• PROBLEM- MUST BE DEALT WITH!!

Survey Reports

• A plan should be developed on what areas will be inspected and how to access those hard- to- reach access areas that can often become corrosion issues

• An asset deemed unsafe should get priority• Pitted steel, leaking pipe, unsafe walkways, etc.

Survey Reports

• The survey evaluation should include:• Adhesion• Appearance (gloss, chalk, primer, mill scale,

rust, etc.)• Percent of failure• Dry film thickness (DFT)

Adhesion- Steel

• ASTM D3359: Standard Test Methods for Measuring Adhesion by Tape Test• These test methods cover procedures for

assessing the adhesion of coating films to metallic substrates by applying and removing pressure-sensitive tape over cuts made in the film

Adhesion- Steel

• ASTM D4541: Standard Test Method for Pull-Off Strength of Coatings Using Portable Adhesion Testers• This test method covers a procedure for evaluating

the pull-off strength (commonly referred to as adhesion) of a coating system from metal substrates. The test determines either the greatest perpendicular force (in tension) that a surface area can bear before a plug of material is detached, or whether the surface remains intact at a prescribed force (pass/fail)

Adhesion- Concrete

• ASTM D7234: Standard Test Method for Pull-Off Adhesion Strength of Coatings on Concrete Using Pull-Off Adhesion Testers• This test method covers procedures for

evaluating the pull-off adhesion strength of a coating on concrete. The test determines the greatest perpendicular force (in tension) that a surface area can bear before a plug of material is detached

Rust Evaluation

• SSPC VIS 2• Standard Method of Evaluating Degree of

Rusting on Painted Steel Surfaces

Dry Film Thickness- Steel

• ASTM D7091: Standard Practice for Nondestructive Measurement of Dry Film Thickness of Nonmagnetic Coatings Applied to Ferrous Metals and Nonmagnetic, Nonconductive Coatings Applied to Non-Ferrous Metals

Dry Film Thickness- Steel

• SSPC PA 2: Procedure for Determining Conformance to Dry Coating Thickness Requirements

Dry Film Thickness- Concrete

• ASTM D6132: Standard Test Method for Nondestructive Measurement of Dry Film Thickness of Applied Organic Coatings Using an Ultrasonic Coating Thickness Gage

Dry Film Thickness- Concrete

• SSPC PA 9• This standard describes procedures to measure

the thickness of dry, homogeneous coatings applied on cementitious surfaces using commercially available ultrasonic coating thickness gages. These procedures are intended to supplement manufacturers’ operating instructions for the manual operation of the gages and are not intended to replace them

Coatings Database• Some facilities will gather asset coating information in a

computer database• The database contains:

• Photos• Condition assessment reports• Survey tests such as:

• Adhesion• Appearance (gloss, chalk, primer, mill scale, rust, etc.)• Percent of failure• Dry film thickness (DFT)

• Using this information can allow facilities to show the progression of corrosion in a certain area over a period of time

Problems Within 1 Year Warranty

• Typically you will find most coating application problems within the 1st year of service

• If coating was installed properly after the 1st maintenance, very little repair will need to occur over the next several years• Known as the “Bathtub Curve”

Summary

• By creating an asset management coatings program you can assure that recoat and overcoat is preformed before damaging corrosion sets in, allowing downtime of the asset to be minimized and decreasing cost of the overall project