Q: Have there been any anticorrosion applications of epoxy-coated rebars other than for bridge decks and parking garage floors?
A: The Fusion Bonded Coaters Association (FBCA) reports that the following uses have recently come to light:
- Reinforcing steel hoops for precast concrete silos used for salt storage.
- Precast channel slab roof decks as tested and manufactured by Federal Cement Products Inc., Hammond, Indiana--considered particularly applicable to pulp and paper industry uses.
- Hot water pipe encased in concrete floor to alleviate condensation in salt storage warehouse.
- Reinforcement for earth retention--Steel reinforcement strips as manufactured by the Reinforced Earth Company, Arlington, Virginia. In addition to reinforcing earth, its products are used in load-supporting structures, such as retaining walls, bridge abutments and dams.
- Epoxy-coated welded wire fabric manufactured by the Welded Wire Wall Corporation, Los Gatos, California has also been used for retaining soil embankments and a similar product made by Dur-O-Wal, Glenview, Illinois is used in the stems of precast double-Ts for bridge decks and parking garages.
- Epoxy-coated welded wire fabric has been used for horizontal joint reinforcement for masonry wall construction in a nuclear plant.
- The coating thickness on welded wire fabric varies from manufacturer to manufacturer because no ASTM standard has yet been adopted. However, a standard is currently in preparation and the FBCA and the Wire Reinforcement Institute have also joined forces to help develop specifications for using epoxy-coated welded wire fabric in general concrete applications.
