How To Address Corrosion Of Wastewater Treatment Plants

How To Address Corrosion Of Wastewater Treatment Plants

Wastewater treatment facilities are subject to contaminants and moisture which create a highly toxic and corrosive environment for concrete and metal reinforcement. Aggressive environment causes premature deterioration and forces owners to perform expensive early repairs or replacements.

The harsh elements within a wastewater plant don’t show any respect for galvanized steel or aluminum which are often considered as corrosion resistant materials. When builders use steel or other traditional materials which are prone to corrosion, the only solution left is continued preventive maintenance to help a wastewater treatment facility reach its expected service life.

Corrosion of steel reinforcement is the main reason for most of the damage to steel-reinforced concrete structures. With more and more structures reaching a critical age, the annual cost of structural rehabilitation in Canada and across North America is in the billions. It’s more important than ever to develop and implement sustainable materials.

Since rust occupies more space than steel itself, it puts massive pressure on the concrete causing it to crack. With the passage of time, concrete spalling turns into serious structural deficiency, a situation where it becomes unsafe to use the structure. Concrete corrosion is started when the environmental elements penetrate concrete and reach the steel bars.

When it comes to the aggressive environment of wastewater treatment facilities, hydrogen sulfide is one of the common elements which causes corrosion-related problems and leads to expensive repairs. Premature failure of walkways, water tanks, railings, and other metal structures can be avoided with the help of composite materials such as GFRP reinforcement.

Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) rebar is an economically viable solution considering the high replacement costs, less reliability, and additional maintenance of steel-reinforced concrete elements. Instead of using short-term solutions to fight corrosion and lack of strength, governments can completely replace steel with composites in order to resolve the problem of structural deterioration permanently.

There’s no doubt about the fact that healthy concrete infrastructure saves time and money for both the government and taxpayers. The initial high cost of construction waterside buildings with GFRP rebar might not seem feasible. However, the use of GFRP composite materials has become inevitable considering the high maintenance costs. The maintenance-free properties of GFRP rebar and other products make it possible for structural engineers to build sustainable and maintenance-free water treatment facilities.

About TUF-BAR

North America is one of the largest producers and consumers of composite construction products, and TUF-BAR is one of the leading GFRP fiberglass rebar manufacturers. We manufacture and sell the highest-quality fiberglass rebar which is a stronger and lighter alternative to traditional steel reinforcement, an ideal material for building durable wastewater treatment facilities. Other ideal applications of our fiberglass rebar include bridge decks, roadways, marine structures, dams, concrete slabs, barrier walls, tunneling, and rail LRT. Contact us for more information!