Steel Construction – Unlimited Success For Over 150 Years

International
Edition 01
SikaKorroNews
The magazine for Protective Coatings
Content:
Sika
on Site
4
5
8
10
11
Sika
Know How
6
7
9
Sika
Products
3
Steel Construction – Unlimited Success
For Over 150 Years
How it all began
Steel construction exploded onto the construction world in around the mid-19th
century and began a journey of success
without parallel, with architectural masterworks and pioneering engineering
feats. Today it is integral to simple functional structures and absolutely essential for demanding projects with delicate
structures and huge spans.
This was originally triggered from the
rapid advances in industrial iron and steel
manufacturing. By the end of the 19th
century, the initial brittle unmalleable pig
iron had been steadily redeveloped. The
economical manufacture of mechanicallyresistant, rollable steel in large quantities became possible. This achievement
was one of the pillars of the industrial
revolution and the birth of preformed steel
profiles for girders, supports and trusses.
Architects and engineers rapidly realised
the unending possibilities offered by this
building material. They produced lightweight, transparent structures which
sidelined the previously dominating brickwork. Never in the history of architecture
had there been such revolutionary innovations in a comparatively short period
as with the introduction of the iron and
subsequent steel as ‘building material’.
It was at its most obvious in the building
of bridges, halls and major constructions,
including railway stations or tower constructions. The steel frame construction
method quickly became established in
building engineering. The most prominent monument to this engineering phase
is the world-renowned Eiffel Tower in
Paris (completed 1887 – 1889). A daring structure of its time, which took the
modular principle to new heights in the
truest sense of the word with approximate
18,000 prefabricated steel profiles.
Corrosion protection more than 100
years ago
What was available at this time? Ultimately, iron and its refined product steel
will rust. Gustave Eiffel put it very well
when he noted: “We cannot emphasise
enough the principle that the painting is
the basic element of the preservation of
metal structure and that the care with
which it is applied is the sole guarantee
of preservation!”
In many cases, in fact structures were
not coated at all. Corresponding rust factors in the dimensioning of the parts were
supposed to allow for this. In fact, the
choice of protective paints was still very
limited. Apart from unsophisticated pitch
and bitumen coatings, for areas in contact with water or components embedded
in the ground, civil engineers generally
used the then-common linseed oil paint
or natural resin-based paint (usually colo­
phonium). Correspondingly limited was
the duration of the protection which was
simply extended by repainting at regular
intervals.
Modern concepts
After this short review into the successful
history let us return to the present day.
Modern corrosion protection is becoming increasingly significant in the maintenance of existing structures as well as
the initial coating of new builds. Even in
the case of new builds, it is worth considering how choice of system, application
strategy and suitable renovation intervals
can maximise the life-cycles of structural
steelworks. A simple principle applies
now as then: the base and intermediate
coatings protect the steel from corrosion,
while the top coat provides colour and UVprotection for the functional layers below.
In terms of application technology for new
builds, the aim now is to apply as many
coatings in the workshop as possible.
This means that applications are carried
out directly in the steel workshop or by
a coating company, provided they have
continued page 2
Page 2
continued from page 1
E d i torial
A word in personal matters
Dear readers, partners and friends of Sika,
after 6 years of availability only in German, “KorroNews”, Sika‘s magazine for Protective Coatings, Fire
Protection and Acid Proofing, finally made the first
international issue in English. Within this publication, we aim to cover interesting projects and latest
technical developments, explain background facts and
describe standardization issues. We will also feature
selected customers, both from application and from
steel fabrication and finally present the latest developments from within Sika. We hope to offer you an
interesting and informative read!
Nevertheless, driven on one side by rising labour costs
and the increasing importance of quick processes and
throughput times and on the other by a constantly
growing demand for VOC reduced systems, over the
last few years, things have begun to change.
The first issue, reduced labour costs and shorter
throughput times, can be approached by several
measures. Fast drying products shorten the waiting
time until the next coating layer can be applied, or
until the item can be stored or transported. High build
systems allow a reduced number of layers, which in
turn reduces both labour costs and throughput time.
Products with low VOC emission can be achieved
via 2 routes. One of them is employing waterborne
systems, this can be a good solution for very controlled conditions and installations. Drying under adverse
conditions however, is a different story and the use of
additional measures will be required. The huge influence on the drying of waterborne coatings played by
film thickness and on site application, are a significant
disadvantage to this technology.
Here, the constant improvements into low VOC systems come into force. Very high solid products also
offer drastically reduced VOC emissions, combined
with the possibility of increased layer thickness and
thus reduced labour costs.
Most of these developments were started in steel fabrication installations, as they felt pressure both from
the supply chain/lead time side and the environmental
impact, forcing them to reduce their emissions. Today,
the production processes in the wind industry are the
forefront of innovation.
The good news is that institutional players seem to
be gradually acknowledging what the steel fabricators
have already demonstrated. Authorities have followed
and are beginning to change their regulations. VOC
reduction is now a key requirement in many specifications, confirming the change in attitude to adopt more
environmental and technical parameters. We have
witnessed official authorities invite the stake holders to
define together the specifications for the subsequent
decades. Change happens, and Sika themselves feel
committed to this progress both in respect to processes and the environment.
With these thoughts, I would like to finish our Introduction to KorroNews. I hope you enjoy the articles,
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Uwe Schober
correspondingly spacious halls in which to
treat large surfaces. The undeniable advantages such as maintaining constant climatic
conditions during the coating application,
constant monitoring of the applied layerthickness or even the improved accessibility of the components enable a considerably better quality of the selected coating
system. Prompt renovation intervals, i.e.
planned improvements or part-replacements
after specific inspection cycles, delay the
necessity for expensive full replacement in
existing structures and help to save costs.
Sika has pioneered this field with numerous
innovation. Its product systems are particularly well designed for coating manually derusted substrates or old paint and contribute
considerably to achieving reliable quality,
even in refurbishment projects.
What does corrosion protection have to
achieve?
Today‘s coatings for protecting steel structures from corrosion face challenges from
all directions. For example, the lay person,
who is often also the architect, is primarily
concerned with the visual appearance because that is perceived first. Do the colour
and sheen match? Does pigmentation with
aluminium or micaceous iron oxide have the
desired effect? Are there too many drips?
All these aspects are often vehemently discussed.
Even for a traditional steel construction company, working with coatings and their applications is initially alien territory. “Painting” is seen
as a necessary evil, whose unavoidable drying
and hardening periods represent a production
bottleneck in terms of time and capacity.
It therefore needs to be compatible with steel
constructions, and have as it must have as
little impact on the steel structure production
process. This can be achieved by low solvent content, mechanically robust, easy-touse and fast drying systems. Which enables
short throughput times, minimum environmental impact, rapid stacking and transport
of the coated profiles and components, plus
a top-quality appearance.
Our new Products
Sika® EP Color
All-round primer and top coat of epoxy basis for steel constructions. A coloured, robust and fast curing
anti-corrosive coating, especially designed for application in workshops. VOC content approx. 320 g/l.
The most important advantages:
Applicable as a 1-coat-system, semi-gloss
Mechanically very robust
Good chemical resistance
Fast drying and long potlife
Easy application
Marginal transport- and handling damages
Very easy cleaning
Short throughput times, high reliability
Protective Co
atings
The world of protective coatings has for many decades
been rather conservative and to some extent this is
still the case. While in the “New Economy” of telecommunication products – life cycles have been shortened
to less than one year, in our common field of activity
– proven solutions, experience, track records and the
resulting feeling of security still dominate. Product systems and technologies must prove their efficiency not
only by intensive testing, but also by their durability
over years and decades. Innovation is what everyone
wants, but only when it is backed up by several references. On one hand, this is good practice, ensuring all
constructions are protected by materials with thorough
track records. On the other hand however, these rigid
and conservative procedures can also slow down and
even prevent progress.
Corrosion Pro
tection for Ste
el Structures
Practical coa
ting systems
for
all important
applications
SikaCor ® PUR Color Thixo
A special modification to the existing SikaCor ® PUR Color, a semi gloss, coloured anti-corrosion polyurethane coating
with zinc phosphate as an anti corrosion pigment. SikaCor ® PUR Color Thixo is designed for DFT (Dry Film Thickness) from
80 to 160 µm per layer. VOC content approx. 378 g/l.
The most important advantages:
Semi-gloss
Coating with anticorrosive pigments
UV- and weather resistant
Mechanically very robust
Chemical resistant
Fast curing
Easy application
1-coat system directly on steel
High and durable conservation
Marginal transport- and handling damages
Very good cleaning
Short throughput times, even at low temperatures
SikaCor ® Steel Protect VHS Rapid
All-round high solid primer and top coat based on synthetic resin for steel
The most important advantages:
Very fast initial drying and curing
Coating with anticorrosive pigments, semi-gloss
High thickness range without sagging
VOC content approx. 320 g/l
Short throughput times
1-coat system directly on steel
One product for a wide thickness range of 80 – 160 µm
Less emissions compared with older standard product
Page 3
continued from page 2
Finally there are the actual corrosionprotection requirements of the respective
type of structure, and of the owner or operator as one steel construction is never
the same as the next. This month perhaps,
a traditional building will leave a manufacturer‘s premises, next month it might be a
road bridge and in another six months, it
could be part of a power station for fossil
fuels.
Equally varied are the corrosion-protection
requirements. This huge range is best described by segmenting the market according
to technical requirements, for example:
■ S teel construction for buildings as a core
segment of structural steel work
■ Infrastructure constructions, e.g. bridges
■ Engineering works for waterways and har-
■ C onstructions and installations for energy
■S
ikaCor ® EG System, the standard
supply including water and wind energy
Each segment has specific requirements
for long term corrosion protection. These
are reflected in the enormous number of
regulatory documents, specifications, factory standards and other required approvals
etc. The segments, however, are not rigidly
defined. Overlaps and transitions are quite
characteristic. The variety of projects and
their requirements is surprising. A competent
coating materials supplier needs to be able
to offer products for standard applications as
well as more specific systems for a variety of
requirements. No problem for a manufacturer like Sika which plays a leading role in all
segments! As developers and manufacturers
of corrosion coatings, with over 100 years of
success in the market, many of our products,
were the original trendsetters
for reliable protection of valuable infrastructure
■S
ika ® Rapid System, ideal for steel
structures and workshop application
■S
ika® Poxitar and SikaCor ® SW
500, long-term protection in steel hydraulic engineering
bour equipment
■ C onstructions, tanks and other equipment
for the chemical- and related industries
■S
ikaCor ® 6630 high-solid, par-
ticularly suitable for repainting jobs
Our latest products such as SikaCor ® EP
Color, SikaCor ® PUR Color Thixo or
SikaCor ® Steel Protect VHS Rapid
are set to continue this tradition.
So you see, within the market segment steel
construction for buildings, Sika is more than
just a ‘paint supplier’. We provide our technical skills to solve your problems!
You can expect a lot more from us in the
future. Faster, even more robust, longer-lasting coatings with less environmental impact.
We‘re working on it!
Thomas A ugustin † / Axel Petrikat
S i k a Products
The Jack of All Trades
– SikaCor® PUR Color
Where coating application is concerned in
steel construction, we encounter many different quality levels and also diverse types
of products. Logically, this begins with inexpensive shop primer, usually the simplest
alkyd resins. Next come the rightfully very
popular duplex systems (hot-dip galvanizing
+ coating). Finally we have carefully specified structures with topcoats of high gloss
polyurethanes. The system that comes into
question, depends on the requirements
and the expected load. The interior support
structures of a warehouse building, which
are not exposed to the weather and UV light,
can naturally be protected satisfactorily
with less effort than weathered infrastructural constructions or buildings with long
service lives. For all of this variety, however,
there are several requirements in the middle and elevated segments that frequently
recur. This is where the steel fabricator’s
requirements, which result from his work
processes and the demanding specifications
on the part of the project, encounter one
another.
Depending on the requirements, structures
with one or two layers and a total thickness
of 100 µm to around 200 µm are demanded
– mechanically robust and with very good
weathering resistance. A large number of
projects in atmospheric corrosion protection can thereby be realised convincingly, in
terms of both appearance and quality. From
the point of view of steelwork manufacturing, the basic requirements are value for
money, easy application characteristics and
fast drying in conjunction with rapidly attained mechanical robustness. In addition to
the high-build low-VOC quality SikaCor ®
EG 120, the use of SikaCor ® PUR
Color has been increasing for some time
in this field. This colour-fast 2-component
polyurethane material is a genuine jack of
all trades in steel construction. It has already been used in a multitude of projects
for instance buildings belonging to Daimler
or Airbus Industries.
In the meantime, several hundred tonnes have
passed through the plants of numerous steel
fabricators and stationary operating corrosion protection works. Through the several
hundred thousand square metres of coated
steel structures, SikaCor ® PUR Color
has attained impressive application reliability.
Companies that have gained experience with
the product are convinced of its advantages in
the work process. Fast-drying and mechanical robustness accelerate production – two,
in individual cases up to three coats per day
are possible. The need to repair transport and
assembly damage is also minimised. They
therefore continue to offer SikaCor ® PUR
Color. In turn their customers, the building owners and operators, are convinced in
particular by the reference to the corrosivity
category “C2, high” or “C3, moderate”.
Certainly the coating is minor in terms of
costs and expenditure to the material value
and labour costs in steel construction. It is
however decisive for the qualitative appearance of the finished construction from the
point of view of the customer or purchaser!
An optical perfect coating always leads the
purchaser to the safe assumption that the
total performance has been carried out correctly and with professional cleanliness. The
anti-corrosive coating is thus the hallmark
for the complete steelwork performance!
These advantages of the high-solid products
and the increasing necessity for value for
money will accelerate development still further in the future.
The coating has been ideally selected if it
meets the technical usage requirements over
the period of use, with low maintenance expenditure and at the same time fulfils the
client’s aesthetic requirements. The scope
of the ISO 12944 standard thereby proves
how varied the different objectives are and
the expenditure that is necessary in order
to achieve the defined quality. SikaCor ®
PUR Color is suitable for numerous
objectives and quality requirements.
SikaCor ® PUR Color
■ S emi-gloss, coating with anti-corrosive pigments, multi-coloured polyurethane anticorrosive coating
■ Robust and fast curing corrosion protection for steel constructions, especially
designed for shop application
■ C oating systems on steel Sa 2 ½:1 x 80 µm SikaCor ® PUR Color
(approved acc. to C2, high) or
1 x 80 µm SikaCor ® ZP-Primer and
1 x 80 µm SikaCor ® PUR Color or
2 x 80 µm SikaCor ® PUR Color
(approved acc. to C3, high)
■ C oating systems on galvanized surface: 1 x 80 µm SikaCor ® EG 1 and
1 x 80 µm SikaCor ® PUR Color
(approved acc. to C3, high)
■ Drying degree 6/DIN 53160: after approx. 5h/10°C, 3h/20°C, 1h/40°C
Page 4
S i k a on Site
The New Exhibition Centre Stuttgart
Top engineering – internationally acclaimed
Baden-Württemberg’s new Exhibition Centre
Stuttgart, is an attractive space, delighting
exhibitors and visitors alike. With its seven
standard halls, the main hall and the multistorey car park it is an example of stylish
architecture and top engineering.
Its dimensions are unbelievable. With an
investment of almost one billion euros, excavating, concreting and welding has been
underway for 33 months at the formerly largest German building site between autobahn
A8 and the Stuttgart Airport.
More than 1.8 million m³ of earth have been
moved, the equivalent of a convoy of trucks
from Stuttgart to Madrid. Along with about
600,000 m³ concrete, – equal to 3,000
houses, and 65,000 tonnes of steel were
used, around eight times as much as for the
Eiffel Tower. Over 10,000 employees were
involved in the construction. We also made
our contribution with corrosion and fire protection systems plus bonding and sealing
compounds.
After the acclaim of the US American specialist journal “Trade Show Executive” which
awarded the innovation prize to the spectacular layered-ventilation system in the exhibition halls, the new Stuttgart exhibition centre
hit the headlines shortly afterwards with its
multi-storey car park.
This impressive building is 440 meters long,
100 meters wide and up to 22 meters high
– it in no way competes with the environment but is integrated harmoniously into the
landscape, proving the potential of creative
approaches to steel. It is constructive virtuosity embodied, possible only through technical innovation and careful, detailed planning. To create additional parking space, the
Stuttgart exhibition centre designed an enormous six-storey structure (weighing 13,700
tonnes) over one of the most heavily-used
highways in Germany. The spectacular and
superbly designed building was erected on
one side and then moved over the motorway
as a bridge. It provides space for around
4000 vehicles. The multi-storey car park is
more than a building. It is a landmark for
the exhibition centre. Donges SteelTec GmbH
was justifiably awarded the European steel
engineering prize for this project. In fact this
is the third time including 1978 and 1999.
Congratulations from us.
No less impressive are the seven similarlyconstructed exhibition halls with a usable
area of around 8,500 m². The asymmetric
roofs appear stunningly lightweight. The four
basic supporting components, trestles, belt
trusses, straps, roof skin and roof panel permit an unusually elegant and slimline structure with eaves heights of 14 and 20 m.
The eighth exhibition hall is the main hall,
an unsupported structure with dimensions
of 156 × 144 m. Constructed by pushing together and mirroring two standard exhibition halls, it is distinguished by a contoured
suspended roof whose ridge is held by a
550-tonne steel truss. This hall has a gross
exhibition space of 26,800 m² and can even
accommodate cultural and sporting events.
Barbara Rössner
Our business partners on-site
Exibition halls
Car park
Eiffel Stahltechnologie Deutschland GmbH
Haslinger Stahlbau GmbH
Bautenschutz Horst Weltermann
MIB Baubetreuung und Bausanierung GmbH
Sepero Korrosionsschutz GmbH
Donges SteelTec GmbH
Bernhard Goldkuhle GmbH & Co.KG
Our products
■ Sika® Unitherm® Brilliant
■ Sika® Unitherm® top coat 7854
RAL 9007
■ SikaCor ® Zinc R Rapid
■ SikaCor ® EG Phosphat
■ SikaCor ® EG 1
■S
ikaCor ® EG 5 in RAL 9007 and
RAL 9003
■ Sika® Unitherm® LSA
fast dry
■ Sika® Unitherm® top coat
7854 RAL 7047
■ Sikaflex®-Construction
All photos: Messe Stuttgart
Page 5
S i k a on Site
The New Letzigrund Stadium
– a Major Attraction of Zurich
Sika system solutions – from the
foundation to the roof
At the end of 2007 the Letzigrund stadium
passed its first stress test for its athletics show, the Zurich Weltklasse. Later on it
enabled the European Football Cup to be the
highlight of 2008. Although today Zurich‘s
two professional football clubs, FC Zürich
and the Grasshoppers, play their home
matches here, the stadium is still most famous for its athletics show. Legendary
records were run, jumped or thrown in the
“old Letzigrund”. But there is no doubt that
the new stadium is able to don the mantle of
its heritage and will ensure top performance,
excitement and thrills for years to come. In
fact the stadium itself is more than a stadium, it is an event.
When you step through the gates, you don‘t
find yourself in the belly of the arena but on
a circumferential ramp below the elegant
lines of the roof high above the seating.
The gently curving roof unfolds above the
ramp, mounted on flared supports. It is a
unique construction with 31 lighting masts
which form a circle to ensure shadow-free
lighting.
The new Letzigrund Stadion is not only a showcase for sustainable building, the performance
capability and future of the city of Zürich and
of the Swiss construction industry, but also
for the worldwide tried-and-tested Sika system solutions. From the roof to basement they
ensure long-term stability and protection. Our
brands, Sarnafil® on the roof, Sika® ViscoCrete® in the concrete, Sikafloor ® on
the floor and SikaCor ® when it comes to
corrosion protection are the warrantors. How?
Well let‘s take a look at two examples.
It was decided for example, in line with sus-
tainable business practices, to reuse the spoil
and demolition material on site in the concrete
manufacture – Sika supported the concrete
design with tailor-made additives from the
Sika® ViscoCrete® family. Sika guaranteed the quality standard in the corrosion protection of the steel roof construction by supplying a high-performance system ideally suited
for steel construction. It also provided valuable
support for the quality assurance process.
As proven by this stadium, Sika‘s offer of comprehensive advice in the planning process,
high-quality products and systems and on-site
support to the subcontractors adds value from
the basement to the roof – to the long-term
benefit of everyone.
Sika‘s system offerings
■ C oncepts for concete manufacturing with excavation material with Sika®
Viscorete® -techology
■ Sealing with Sika Sealing products
■ C orrosion protection of steelwork with SikaCor ®-ZP Primer and
SikaCor ® EG 120
■ Floorings with Sikafloor ® -technology
■ Waterproofing of roofs with Sika® Sarnafil® -synthetic gasket track
■ Adhesive reinforcement with Sikadur ® reinforcementadhisive
S i k a on Site
Sika – now in Dubai International Airport
Not a year goes by without the Emirate of
Dubai, geographically the second largest
member state of the United Arab Emirates,
hitting the headlines with spectacular construction projects. Whether it‘s with the
“Burj Al Arab”, the ultimate 7-star hotel, the
artificial “Palm-” and “World Islands”, or
the tallest building in the world, the “Burj
Khalifa”, some 828 metres high.
Each of these new wonders of the world is
announced around the world with audible
drumrolls in the press, radio and television.
Regular reports about the planning, construction progress and inauguration raise
the image and the interest in visiting the tiny
emirate which presents itself to the world as
an open, friendly tourist paradise.
“Emirates”, Dubai‘s own airline, with its
state-of-the-art aircraft from Airbus and
Boeing, excellent service and worldwide
connections, is also thriving and now more
passengers are flying via Dubai than to
Dubai. The passenger throughput at the
Dubai International Airport has increased to
over 34 million annually with growth rates
in the double figures. With this in mind, an
expansion was planned to equip the airport
for a future annual capacity of over 70 million
passengers.
Up until then, the airport had two terminals
and concourses. The plans provided for the
creation of a further terminal with two concourses for the “Emirates” airline with spe-
cial consideration for the requirements of the
new Airbus A 380.
The companies ADPi and Dar Al-Handasah
(Shair and Partner) designed and planned an
underground terminal with two overground
concourses. While the underground Terminal
3 was primarily a steel-reinforced concrete
structure, the planners designed the two
concourses as elegant, wide-spanned steel
structures.
Additionally, “Emirates” were to have a
hangar with seven maintenance halls to accommodate its aircraft and a further hall for
maintenance and coatings – including the
giant Airbus A 380. These were also planned
by ADPi and built in 2004.
The steel structures of these hangars required 60 minutes of fire protection, exceptionally in this case not to protect human
lives – it is assumed that people can be
evacuated in a few minutes – but to protect
the aeroplanes from major damage from
the falling steel structure. In total approx.
240,000 m² of steel in the roof construction were coated, the majority of which took
place in the open air as a workshop application. This is relatively unproblematic
in Dubai which normally expects around 2
to 3 days of rain each year. As soon as the
coating operations began, however, Dubai
experienced its heaviest rainfall in recent
years. Only immediate protective measures
enabled the rapid resumption of the work.
The prevailing winds also required particu-
lar care to ensure that the still wet topcoat
did not turn into “sandpaper”. All obstacles, however, were successfully overcome
thanks to the comprehensive support of our
application technicians. The whole project
took more than 600 tonnes of Sika ®
Unitherm ® coating material including the
protective topcoat.
Alongside this, the expansion of the airport
involved the terminal being designed to allow
loading and unloading to take place as quickly as possible. This steel structure was also
fire protected with Sika ® Unitherm ®
coatings. Protection and rescue of people
were the priorities here and so the specified
fire resistance period was 2 hours.
Even the pedestrian bridges from the terminal to the airport were coated with fire
protection material.
As well as the traditional fire protection
coatings, a whole range of additional Sika
products was used in this terminal. For example Sikagard ® -183 W CR was used
to coat the walls of the technical rooms and
Sika® Permacor ® 136 TW was applied as an internal coating for the drinking
water systems.
Manfred Baur
Page 6
S i k a Know How
The Practical Implications of the New
ISO 12944-5
ISO 12944 Corrosion Protection of Steel
Structures by Protective Paint Systems
was introduced in 1998 in Germany as a successor to DIN standard 55928. It contains
8 parts, of which from the point of view of
the paint industry Part 5 ‘Protective Paint
Systems’ and Part 6 ‘Laboratory Performance Tests and Assessment’ are of particular
significance.
esses which work well. Revisions in such
cases can cause problems.
What is the relevance of ISO 12944?
1. Updating the definitions
The standard is a basis for all corrosion
protection based on protective paint systems on steel structures. Many national
standards, regulations and guidelines refer
to ISO 12944. It can therefore quite properly
be called the basic standard, and has also
proven to be very useful in practice. Parts 5
and 6 have been hotly disputed internationally and it was decided to revise them shortly
after their introduction in 1998. The revised
part 5 has been available since January
2008. Part 6 was finally rejected at the start
of 2008, i.e. the existing standard is still in
force. Every standard and every regulatory
document should represent the “state of the
art”. New requirements and findings, however, as well as laws and regulations mean
that this is constantly changing. Standards
are therefore reviewed at regular intervals
and updated. In fact it is generally more
difficult to revise existing regulations than it
is to produce a new standard because they
sometime impact on tried and tested proc-
At the heart of the ISO 12944-5-2007 are
the numerous tables of typical protective
paint systems. These tables already show
us the changes in the nomenclature: We no
longer use the terms “intermediate – and
top coat”, we speak rather of “subsequent
coats” and three time spans have been
specified whose terms have also changed
(see Table 1):
The revision of part 5 focused on the following:
■ 1. Updating the definitions
■ 2. Clearer and fewer examples of typical
protective paint systems
■ 3. Adjustment to current standards
Durability
New classification
2 to 5 years
Low (L)
5 to 15 years
Medium (M)
more than 15 years
High (H)
Table 1
important systems. Here we can see the relationship between corrosivity category and
layer thickness.
Recommended layer thicknesses for a “High”
durability for example are C2 160 µm, C3
200 µm, C4 240 µm and 280 µm, C5 320
µm. The protective paint systems specified
in the table are only examples. Other coating systems with the same protection are
possible.
3. Adjustment to current standards – the
problem with the measurement of layer
thickness
2. Clearer and fewer examples of typical
protective paint systems
Many systems have been eliminated simply
because the only remaining surface preparation grade is Sa 2 ½. Manual rust removal
is no longer mentioned. The binders EP, PE
and ESI in combination with zinc dust have
also been combined and a reference layer
thickness 60 ± 20 µm has been selected.
The protective paint systems correspond to
today‘s standard in terms of structure and
layer thickness. Table 2 describes the most
There is a very particular point here which
has a major effect on determining the layer
thickness: the process for determining the
layer thickness has been changed for rough
i.e. blast cleaned surfaces.
Unless otherwise agreed, ISO 19840 applies
in the current DIN 12944-5 rather than the
former EN ISO 2808. Table 3 shows the comparison of the standards.
What impacts will the new methodology
have?
It is necessary to add a surface-roughness
correction factor to the layer thickness in
accordance with the actual roughness. This
changes the requirements of the reference
layer-thickness to be measured and the applicator needs to factor in an increased consumption.
How is the corrosion protection market
responding?
■ M ost countries are sticking with the
existing methodology according to
ISO 2808. Decades of experience and
comprehensive approval tests of coating
substances reinforce the associations in
their opinion.
■ T he paint industry also recommends re-
taining the existing methodology. This is
based on determining theoretical, practical and measured consumptions. The
Examples of coating systems for the corrosivity categories C2, C3, C4, C5-I and C5-M
Substrate: Low alloy steel
Surface preparation: for Sa 2 ½, rust grade A, B or C (see ISO 8501-1)
System
No.
Priming coat(s)
Binder
typed
Type of
primera
Number of
coats
Subsequent Protective paint systems
coats
NDFT b
µm
Binder
type
Number of
coats
Expected durability (see 5.5 and ISO 12944-1)
NDFT b
µm
C2
L
A1.04
AK
misc.
1 – 2
80
AK
2 – 4
160
A1.06
EP
misc.
1
160
AY
2
200
A1.20
EP, PUR, ESI
Zn (R)
1
60e
EP, PUR
3 – 4
240
A1.23
EP, PUR, ESI
Zn (R)
1
60e
EP, PUR
3 – 4
320
Binder for priming coats
1-pack
L
M
H
L
M
C5-I
H
L
M
C5-M
H
L
M
H
2-pack
Waterborne
possible
a

EP = epoxy resin



ESI = ethyl silicate



PUR = polyurethane, aromatic or aliphatic



Table 2
H
C4
Coating materials (liquid)
Number of components
AK = alkyd resin
M
C3
Zn (R) = Zinc-rich primer, see 5.2. Misc. = Primers with miscellaneous
types of anticorrosive pigment.
b
NDFT = Nominal dry film thickness. See 5.4 for further details.
c
It is recommended that compatibility be checked with the paint manufacturer.
d It is recommended for ESI primers that one of the subsequent coats be
used as a tie coat
e It is also possible to work with an NDFT from 40 µm to 80 µm provided
the zinc-rich primer chosen is suitable for such NDFT.
Page 7
continued from page 6
Comparison of ISO 19840 with EN ISO 2808 : 2007
EN ISO 2808: 2007 Determining the layer thickness
ISO 19840 Determining the layer thickness on rough surface finishes
The standard includes different processes for determining layer thickness including the
magnetic-inductive process. Section 7.1 describes the measurement of rough surfaces
and explains the process.
The zero point of the measuring instrument is also set on a smooth steel surface in this
process.
The layer thickness is measured according to the magnetic-inductive measurement principle, after the zero point of the measuring instrument is set on a smooth steel surface.
This process serves to limit variation to a minimum and to enable layer thicknesses of
coatings on sandblasted surfaces to be measured uniformly in practice. The results are
reliable if the actual layer thickness, measured according to another process, is not less
than 25 µm. Optimal results are obtained from layer thicknesses over 50 µm.
The standard gives the following reasoning for this:
In practice, major variation results in the measurement of dry layer-thicknesses when
using instruments on sandblasted surfaces. When zeroing the instrument on a sandblasted surface, additional problems arise in relation to the normal variation of results
depending on the appliance e.g.:
■ Poor reproducibility
■ Variation of the measured thickness of a calibration film over this kind of
surface (the thicker the calibration film, the greater the apparent increase
in its thickness)
However the standard applies correction values for rough surfaces depending on their
surface roughness. The correction value is derived from the single value of the measurement on a coating system (one- or more layers). In fact the layer thickness is increased
depending on the surface roughness of the sandblasted surface by between 10 and 40 µm.
The correction values for the surface roughness grades are as follows: fine 10 µm,
medium 25 µm, coarse 40 µm. If the surface roughness is not known and no sample is
available, the standard stipulates a correction value of 25 µm.
The surface roughness can be determined with a surface-roughness comparison sample
(ISO Comparator) or with an instrument based on the skidded tracing method.
Surface roughness according to EN ISO 8503-1
Correction value in µm
Fine
10
Medium
25
Coarse
40
Surface roughness not known, no sample available
25
■ Uncertainty if the surface roughness of the steel substrate is not known
Table 3
Fine
Medium
Coarse
figure 1
Film thickness measurements of a Zinc-rich Epoxy Primer on SA 2 1/2 blasted steel
with a profile of 50 µm
100
90
80
DFT
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Magnetic inductive 1, cal. on SA 2 1/2
Magnetic inductive 1, cal. on unblasted steel
TFD
Magnetic inductive 2, cal. on SA 2 1/2
Magnetic inductive 2, cal. on unblasted steel
Calculated
A zinc dust primer was applied onto blasted steel with a surface profile of 50µm and after
drying the film thicknesses were determined, from an average of 20 measurements. Two
different DFT gauges, which utilise the magnetic inductive principle, were used. The gauges
were calibrated on blasted steel with a surface profile of 50µm before the measurements
on the blasted and non-blasted surfaces took place. The same product was used to coat an
analogues panel with a defined amount. Following complete drying, the weight of the coating
was determined and the film thickness calculated.
figure 2
surface roughness is not included in
the measurement result in the case of
layer thicknesses of > 25 µm. A clear
increased consumption (figure 2) is
specified. Applicators are therefore advised by the paint industry to supplement their offers with the following text:
“The nominal layer thickness has
been randomly determined using the
layer thickness measurement device
(enter name) according to standard
EN ISO 2808 and recorded according
to quality standards (state names).”
Sika has adopted this point of view.
Given the danger that ISO 19840 will be nevertheless insisted upon, some manufacturers have in the meantime reduced the layer
thickness in the case of zinc-dust priming
layers in their manufacturing specifications,
e.g. from a former 80 µm nominal layer
thickness to a current 60 µm.
Steel construction industry, corrosion protection applicators, construction supervisors etc.
are handling the edition very differently. Experienced corrosion protectors are not changing
their measuring processes since they have had
good experiences with the existing methodol-
Sika Analytic find that the surface roughness does not decay in the measurement of the
layer thickness in the case of layer thicknesses > 25 µm
figure 3
ogy and fear that the surface roughness supplements will produce layer thicknesses which
will move into the critical thickness range.
On the basis of the saying “if it isn’t broken
don‘t fix it” they argue as follows: “The layer
thicknesses defined in the standards and regulatory documents are the result of decades
of experience and are supported by shorttime tests. Why is it necessary to change the
process? It will not improve accuracy or quality and in terms of paint contracts it is causing
great uncertainty because the surface roughness can often no longer be determined.”
Other corrosion protectors are watching and
waiting to find out which process will be ultimately instated.
Summary
The revision of EN ISO 12944-5 has decided in favour of ISO 19840 for determining
layer thickness with the aim of guaranteeing
practical quality assurance. It has actually
achieved the opposite. The result is that the
standard is being revised again.
Joachim Pflugfelder
Page 8
S i k a on Site
Olympiastadion Berlin – A Myth Lives on
A new, modern roof
er necessitated comprehensive measures on
the sports site including the Olympiastadion.
One of the concepts discussed was simply
to allow this historic monument to crumble and to erect a new stadium immediately
alongside. In 1998 however, the decision
was finally made in favour of refurbishment
and expansion to create a multifunctional
arena.
The circumspect concept of the architects
Gerkan, Marg and Partner (gmp) was chosen; investment, implementation and operation later passed to the Walter Bau AG. The
work took place between January 2002 –
March 2004, allowing operations to continue largely unhindered: at least 55,000 seats
were guaranteed for all football matches of
the home team Hertha BSC and 70,000 for
german football cup finals.
The Olympiastadion in Berlin is one of the
most important witnesses in German architecture of the last hundred years. A place
of fantastic sporting triumphs surrounded
by all manner of stories and myths. One of
these popular myths claims that the stadium
was a part of the National Socialist monumental construction program, influenced by
Albert Speer, which is untrue. So let‘s have
a look at the real story.
had developed apace. The Deutsche Stadion was already obsolete and above all it
was too small for the coming great events.
Eventually, after weighing up several options
(amongst others the refurbishment of the
Deutsche Stadion), the decision was finally taken in the autumn of 1933, to erect a
new stadium in the middle of a large sports
ground – certainly with one eye on its propagandist potential.
Today‘s stadium has a number of forerunners. The most important was the “Deutsche Stadion”. Before World War I, Germany had received the acceptance for the
planned games of 1916. To create a suitable
and worthy venue, Otto March 1912/1913
erected the sports arena including swimming stadium in just 200 days on the site
of the existing racing horse track at Grunewald. In fact the First World War began and
prevented the planned games from going
ahead.
Werner March, the son of Otto March – originally together with his brother Walter – was
appointed with the new build. He created
a design which united classical elements
reminiscent of ancient sports arenas with
the clean lines of the Bauhaus influence.
The time came again however in 1931 when
the IOC awarded the games for the year
1936 to Germany. In the meantime, design
By lowering half of the stadium, only around
50 % of the stand-height is visible from the
outside, the building appears less massive than its size would suggest. Opened in
August 1936, it was witness in the course
of the Olympic Games to the fantastic success of Jesse Owens amongst others– one
of the genuine myths which still surround
the Olympiastadion today.
The stadium had already gained a partial
roof for the 1974 World Cup, which guaranteed protection from the weather for around
26,000 seats. Now it was time for a completely new roof for all 74,228 seats. Dillinger Hochbau GmbH (DSD) was appointed
with the construction of this roof according to a design by “gmp”. The result is a
wonderfully elegant, delicate construction,
supported by 20 forged-steel tree shaped
columns with 80 branches and 132 columns
on the outside. The roof itself is supported
by 76 truss-type radial girders connected
by tangential rods. A total of around 3,600 t
steel and 360 t cast steel nodes were used.
The roof structure is spanned by a completely innovative translucent membrane.
With its airy structure the roof is deliberately conceptually distant from the historical building shell. This is incorporated, however, into the roof in a different way. With
a design finesse not to be underestimated,
the roof, like the stadium itself, is open on
one side towards the Marathon Gate. Often
simply an afterthought for architects and
planners, adequate corrosion protection is
essential to guarantee the sustainability
of this kind of structure. At the same time
it can also add visual accents or highlight
features. The specialists of DSD opted for
the well-proven two-component SikaCor ®
EG system : The base and intermediate
coatings were carried out with epoxy-zinc
dust primer SikaCor ® Zinc R and epoxym.i.o. intermediate coat SikaCor ® EG 1.
This was all topped with SikaCor ® EG 5
in RAL 9006. In this colour, the light- and
weather-resistant polyurethane enhances
the metallic nature of the structure particularly elegantly.
Thanks to the robustness of the Sika topcoat, it was possible to coat most of the
elements in the factory, unusual in itself.
On the project side the appointed applicator
Goldkuhle used only around 10 % of the total
quantity SikaCor ® EG 5 for few defined
areas – a distinct cost and handling benefit.
With comparatively minor damage during
the last phases of the Second World War,
the complex enjoyed a long post-war history including the 1974 Football World
Cup. Increasing structural damage and the
requirements of the 2006 World Cup howev-
Summer of 2004 saw the celebratory inauguration of the new Olympiastadion. FIFA
now counts the largest German football and
competitive stadium as one of its 5-star
stadiums. It is a forum for new myths.
Page 9
S i k a Know How
Sika® Unitherm® Fire Protection
Systems Protect Lives
Reports of fires and destruction continually appear in the media. All too often they
report not only on damage to the environment or property but also on the loss of
human lives. The burned-down candle, the
forgotten pan or the blazing Christmas tree
at home, careless welding or the smouldering cigarette in the wastepaper basket in
the office or the factory – every one of us
knows of such cases or has even experienced them. This is precisely where our
Sika ® Unitherm ® fire protection
systems are used – for the protection of
people, animals and the environment. The
areas of use vary considerably: not only can
“classic” building materials such as steel
and wood be protected, but also for example concrete.
In the case of steel, the fire resistance classes R 15, R 30, R 45, R 60, R 90 and R 120
(R = Resistant) are primarily required. The
reason: although steel is not inflammable,
it loses its stability in the case of fire and
can no longer bear the induced load at high
temperatures – buildings would then start
to collapse.
Hence, where the fire protection of steel is
concerned, the objective is to delay a firerelated critical temperature as long as possible (15 – 120 minutes depending on circumstances). This secures and facilitates
not only a possible evacuation of the burning
building, but also helps to minimise the risks
for people, including the fire fighting and rescue teams, and to protect property.
How do these fire protection coatings
work?
At room temperature the systems have a
low layer thickness or a small volume. It
is only under the influence of heat that the
binder begins to soften superficially and is
inflated to a foam-like structure by gases
that emanate in parallel from a propellant
contained in the coating. As the temperature rises, this process continues, so that a
strongly insulating, largely thermally stable
foam layer develops. Expansions of more
than 50 times the applied layer thickness
can be achieved. The insulating layer created
in this way protects the materials underneath against excessively fast heat transfer.
Logically, such fire protection systems are
also called intumescent coatings. The crucial test criterion for the components, e.g.
our structural steel, is in this case the critical temperature that must not be exceeded
for the corresponding load on the support
structure. This temperature can be between
350 °C and 750 °C, depending upon the use
of the structural element. If its suitability has
been verified by means of fire tests, then the
product can be classified into an appropriate
fire resistance class.
How are fire protection systems tested?
United Europe, uniform procedures?
In order to make it complicated, we do not
have to trouble “Europe” at all: even within
Germany, building legislation is the concern
of the states and not the federation!
and classification takes place according to
the EN 13501 series.
It is exactly the same in the European Union:
each state has a national building law containing directives adapted to its needs and
requirements. These directives state, for example, which type of building is to be built,
how it is to be built and of course protected,
and last but not least, which standards are
to be used to test and evaluate the required
structural elements and building materials
and how the execution and inspection are to
be accomplished.
EN 13381
Fire protection measures and products have
a high priority within building applications
and must therefore prove their suitability in
nearly all countries in the world by means of
testing. However, the extent and the criteria
according to which this had to be carried
out, were (and in many cases still are) quite
different in most countries.
8 parts are currently implemented in the EN
13381 test series:
1. Horizontally arranged fire protection
claddings
2. Vertically arranged fire protection
claddings
3. Fire protection measures for concrete
structural elements
4. Fire protection measures for steel
structural elements
5. Fire protection measures for profiled
sheet steel / concrete composite structures
6. Fire protection measures for concretefilled hollow steel composite columns
7. Fire protection measures for wooden
structural elements
8. Reactive sheathing of steel structural
elements
The manufacturers of fire protection coatings must provide proof of the performances
demanded on the basis of a complex test
catalogue. Hence, Sika has performed an extensive programme of approval tests according to EN standards for several years. Following the conclusion of the last formalities,
the products from the Sika® Unitherm®
series will be certified according to these
requirements and usable from 2011 on. At
the same time as the European harmonisation, we have carried out an internal harmonisation of our product types, which will
be implemented step by step from 2010/11
onwards.
Markus Wöhr
In the past, for example, besides the actual
fire protection coatings, some countries also
tested the associated primers and finishing paints in accordance with their national
standards in order to likewise guarantee their
use and everyday suitability in addition to
fire protection. And various countries were
already demanding recurring monitoring according to defined cycles soon after the actual
approval tests, in order to guarantee the quality of the products at a continuously high level.
The fact that there were different regulations and varyingly high requirements in the
countries naturally opposes the demands for
European harmonisation and the free movement of goods and services. Consequently
the Europeans are heading today towards a
common European set of rules and standards. This is based on multi-layered expert
knowledge from the 27 member states.
How does harmonisation work?
The CEN (Comité Européen de Normalisation) in Brussels is the central body that decides on the standards, continually monitors
them and puts them into force. In a similar
way to parliamentary legislation, the proposal of the necessity for a test standard/
norm comes from a member country in this
case, too, and is discussed and formulated
at the various levels. In the so-called “final
vote”, the member countries are asked to
make the final decision on the end version.
The published standards are valid from this
moment on, but how quickly these are implemented in national law is a matter for each of
the 27 member countries.
In fire protection it will be the case in future
that the test standard (“what is tested and
how”), the classification standard (“how are
the results applied and evaluated”) and the
testing of suitability for everyday use (ITT,
Initial Type Testing; e.g. “how does the system behave during weathering”) will each
be handled in separate documents. The test
standard is defined in the EN 13381 series
Sika® Unitherm® Fire Protection Systems
For structural steel elements
Sika® Unitherm®
Steel W 30
Water-based fire protection coating
Classification: R 15 – R 60
Sika® Unitherm®
opal
Water-based fire protection coating
Classification: R 15 – R 90
Sika® Unitherm®
Steel S interior
Solvent-based fire protection coating
Classification: R 15 – R 120
Sika® Unitherm®
Steel S exterior
Solvent-based fire protection coating
Classification: R 15 – R 120
For wood / timber materials
Sika® Unitherm®
Wood P
Water-based pigmented fire protection coating
Classification: B-s1-d0
Sika® Unitherm®
Wood T
Water-based transparent fire protection coating
Classification: B-s1-d0
For concrete
Sika® Unitherm®
Concrete S
Solvent-based fire protection coating
Classification: up to R 120
Page 10
S i ka on Site
Klimahaus Bremerhaven 8 ˚ Ost
European Steel Design Award 2009
Since the 29th of June 2009 Bremerhaven is
offering visitors a unique world of knowledge
and adventure in the 18,000 m² exhibition
space of its Klimahaus 8° Ost. Here, climate
and climate change are presented in 4 sections, travel – elements – perspectives – opportunities in an impressive, multifaceted
display.
From room to room the visitors “travel”
around the world, along the eighth degree
of longitude and learn about nine different
climate zones in eight countries. They can
experience rocky slopes, deep crevasses, hot
desert sand and humid rainforest, even underwater landscapes with specially cultivated
fish and coral as well as the everyday lives of
people in each region.
Elements, with around 100 interactive displays, explains how weather and climate
works, along with all their striking phenomena. How is a storm generated? What happens
in a thunderstorm? How do volcano eruptions
affect our climate?
Perspectives traces the climatic history of
our planet from its beginnings over four billion years ago, to the present day. It presents
scenarios of how the world might look in
2050, if we continue to treat it and its resources as we are doing today, but also how
it could be, if we learn to treat it responsibly.
Opportunities shows detailed climate protection and everyday energy-saving tips, because we all have the opportunity to make
things better. Individually, within the family,
within the group, as a society and as humankind.
We can all contribute to keeping our green
planet in balance.
Spectacular and intelligent architecture
The Klimahaus is one huge addition to the
list of attractions in Northern Germany. The
unique exhibition and experiental concept,
however, are equally complemented by the
groundbreaking architecture designed by
Thomas Klumpp.
The building actually comprises of two separate shells. Reminiscent of a wave or a
cloud from a distance, the transparent outer
envelope of steel and glass and the roof
with its aluminium load-bearing structure
enclose an inner concrete shell which is
125 m long and 82 m deep. This separation
of the inner structure from the glass facade
creates not only a spectacular visual effect,
it also uses sunlight and interior air circulation for air conditioning and ventilation. With
the help of this, and other technical design
features, the operator claims that the energy supply of the entire complex is almost
CO2-neutral.
of a ship. The basis of the roof construction, is an architectural highlight which the
Eiffel engineers achieved using AC-beams
(asymmetric cellular beams) from ArcelorMittal, Luxemburg. In the central area of
the roof the up-to 1.70 m high profile has a
span of 34 m and a curvature of up to 1.05 m.
Corrosion and fire protection
Such a spectacular and challenging steel
structure requires of course adequate protection. In total, 65,000 m² of steel structure
were coated according to requirements.
Category C4 (H) corrosion protection according to DIN EN ISO 12944-5 was the required
level of protection. Sika was able to convince
Eiffel with a tried-and-tested solution which
was ideal for the steel construction:
■B
last-cleaning to preparation grade Sa 2½
■ 100 µm priming coat with fast-cure, active anticorrosive pigments SikaCor ®
EG Phosphate Rapid
■ C olour-fast topcoat with SikaCor ®
EG 5 in colour shade RAL 7021
■B
last cleaning to preparation grade Sa 2½
■ 100 μm priming coat with fast-cure, active anticorrosive pigments SikaCor ®
EG Phosphate Rapid
■ Intumescent coating Sika® Unitherm®
LSA
■ T opcoat Sika ® Unitherm ® 7854
in RAL 7021
Outlook
The complex structural steel work challenges
were faced by the team of “Eiffel Deutschland Stahltechnologie GmbH”, Hannover.
For example the gently curving facade
spanning 10,000 m² includes 4,700 windows, of which no two are identical – a
feature which naturally had to be reflected
in the substructure. In this case the vertical components of the truss are formed
as ribs, recognisable from traditional shipbuilding; the design of the horizontal ribs is
also defined by the geometry of the body
Particularly the fast-cure primer made it
possible to achieve a high throughput of the
structural steel works with fast stacking and
transporting of the elements. The system
was applied in the factory under the supervision of Eiffel by several companies, and on
the construction site.
A total of 1,600 m² of the construction were
subject to fire protection requirements. Sika
and Dietrich Emsland GmbH were able to
comply fully with requirement F 30:
The protection of the climate is one of the most
serious political and commercial challenges
worldwide. Klimahaus 8° Ost documents this
fact in a varied and highly visual form. The
scientifically established data, facts and phenomena fascinatingly prepared and brought to
life – bring this subject matter home to a wide
public. Up to 600,000 visitors are expected
each year, creating important stimulation for
sustainable tourism and valuable workplaces
in the region. Karsten Bormann
Page 11
S i ka on Site
A Giant is Hungry
The Central-Asia-China Gas Pipeline, Phase I
The Central Asia-China gas pipeline begins
in Turkmenistan 188 km before the Uzbek
border. There it traverses for 530 km before
running for a further 1115 km through the
north-east of Kazakhstan, finally ending in
the Chinese region of Xinjiang.
The pipeline will transport natural gas from
the Central Asian gas fields in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to China, in
order to meet China’s growing hunger for energy. It is predicted that 30 billion cbm of gas
per year will initially be carried, 2012/2013
40 billion cbm per year.
It consists of two parallel lines, each 1,833
km in length, for which a total of around
1.52 million tonnes of steel are required. Line
A (phase I) was completed in 28 months
and inaugurated in December 2009, line B
(phase II) is planned for 2011.
Technical data for phase I:
Start:
Turkmenistan
End:
China
Commencement of
Construction:
2007
Completion:
2009
Length:
1833 km
Diameter:
1.067 mm (42 inches)
Wall thickness:
15.9 und 19.1 mm
Max. flow rate: 40 billion cbm per year
Companies involved:
China National Petroleum Corporation,
Turkmengas, Uzbekneftegas,
KazMunayGas.
Our customer, the Russian pipe manufacturer
“Vyksa Steel Works” (a subsidiary company
of the “United Metallurgical Company”), was
commissioned to supply a total of 355,000
tonnes of pipes for the Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan sections of the pipeline.
And this is where Sika enters the game: our
partner Amvit supplied the interior coating
Sika® Permacor ® 337 VHS to the pipe
manufacturer for approx. 1.300 km of gas
pipes. Sika® Permacor ® 337 VHS,
a low-solvent, 2-component epoxy coating,
is used as a so-called “flow coat” for the
interior coating of natural gas pipelines for
the conveyance of non-corrosive gas.The
primary task of Sika® Permacor ® 337
VHS with its smooth surfaces is to improve
the flow of gas in natural gas pipelines. This
allows the reduction of compressor stations
along the pipeline. This ultimately leads to
a saving of energy. And last but not least, it
must be ensured that the pipes are protected
against corrosion during transport and storage.
The single-layer interior coating of the pipe
segments is applied in the pipe mill using an
airless spraying method with coating lances.
A dry film thickness of 50 – 70 µm was specified for this project.
Sika® Permacor ® 337 VHS fulfilled
the high standards of the Chinese consultants.
Flow coats must conform to the relevant international standards. Sika® Permacor ®
337 VHS conforms to API RP 5L2, to ISO
15741 and to EN 10301 and has been tested
in accordance with many international works
standards, such as Transco CM2 and Statoil TR 1114. In addition to the international
standards, it is also mandatory when supplying to Russian pipe manufacturers to provide proof of suitability in accordance with
the requirements of Gazprom, the world’s
largest natural gas production company and
the largest employer in Russia with approx.
445.000 employees. Corresponding certificates have been issued for our flow coats
from “GAZPROM VNIIGAZ”, the company’s
own research institute for natural gas and
gas technologies.
In order to be able to make deliveries for the
Central Asia-China gas pipeline, the projectrelated “Specification for the Internal Coating of Line Pipes” of the planner “CPPE”
(China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering) also
had to be fulfilled and extensive additional
tests had to be carried out for each delivery.
Hence, liquid samples were taken from each
production batch, on the basis of which certain tests were performed on the individual
components and additionally on the mixed
components A + B and documented in an
inspection certificate. For capacity reasons
and because it was not possible to perform
Iran
all of the required tests ourselves,
we had
the tests carried out at the Institute of Paint
Testing in Giessen. Ultimately, only those
components A + B that have been tested with
each other according to the “inspection certificate” may also be mixed with each other
and processed in the pipe works.
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Uzbekistan
Tajikistan
China
Turkmenistan
Afghanistan
Even the labels had to contain more information than mandantory by the Standards.
Additional labels were also required in both
English and Cyrillic with further information
relating to, for example, the project name
and storage conditions etc.
Kurt Mann
Editor:
Sika Deutschland GmbH, Rieter Tal, 71665 Vaihingen/Enz
Phone: 0049/7042/109-0, Fax: 0049/7042/109-180
E-Mail: marketing-protective@de.sika.com
www.protectivecoatings.de
Overall responsibility:
Dr. Uwe Schober · Rieter Tal · D - 71665 Vaihingen/Enz, Germany
Conceptual design:
DIE CREW AG, Werbeagentur
Design, composition and lithography:
come medien ag
Printing:
Dr. Cantz’sche Druckerei GmbH · D - 73745 Ostfildern
All technical testing names above was
carried out under laboratory conditions. Product properties upon practical use are indicated in the currently valid product data sheet available
under www.protectivecoatings.de.