Implementation of Corrosion Control Technologies within the U.S. Department of Defense The 19th International Congress on Marine Corrosion and Fouling Melbourne, Florida Rich Hays Senior Corrosion Engineer, Excet Inc.
How Many Laws Govern Corrosion? 2 nd Law of Thermodynamics Every process occurring in nature proceeds in the sense in which the sum of the entropies of all bodies taking part in the process is increased. In the limit, i.e. for reversible processes, the sum of the entropies remains unchanged. (Planck) 10 U.S.C. 2228 the deterioration of a material or its properties due to a reaction of that material with its chemical environment.
Corrosion Examples General and Crevice Corrosion of Steel Degradation of fabrics in tropical environment Alkali-Silica Reaction in Concrete Environmentally Influenced Cracking uv Degradation of Organic Coating System 3
Impact of Corrosion on the U.S. DoD* Fiscal Year(s) Segment Annual Cost of Corrosion ($B) Corrosion as a % of Maintenance 2009-2011 Facilities 3.0 14.4 2016 Army Aviation and Missiles 1.1 15.2 2016 AF Aircraft and Missiles 5.7 19.5 2016 Navy Ships 3.5 20.1 2016 Army Ground Vehicles 1.2 14.7 2016 USMC Ground Vehicles 0.5 25.3 2016 Navy and USMC Aviation 3.4 27.9 2016 Other 2.2 16.7 Total 20.6 20.7 *LMI study to be published 4
DoD Corrosion Prevention and Control Strategy Activities Policy Development and Implementation Acquisition Oversight and Risk Reduction Workforce Development Corrosion Metrics Collection and Analysis Specifications and Standards Communication and Outreach Project and Research Sponsorship Demonstration/Implementation Projects through Military Departments Technical Corrosion Collaboration
Technology Demonstration/Implementation Projects Objective Implement mature corrosion control technologies in new and existing weapon systems and facilities Military Department-generated projects to qualify products and processes Demonstrate effectiveness in operational systems Update technical and logistics documentation Execution 310 Projects funded from 2005-2017 with >$100M Investment Results - ~17:1 Return-on-Investment
TECHNICAL BARRIERS Use of standard testing protocols? Testing and performance assessments must be synchronized with operational schedules Tailoring protocols for the technology and intended application Usually costly to perform low number of replications Inherent inaccuracy with respect to predicting performance under operational conditions Lack of control over (and sometimes knowledge of) the actual operating environment 7
OVERCOMING TECHNICAL BARRIERS Develop comprehensive plans addressing the following questions: Will the testing provide sufficient data to demonstrate performance effectiveness in the operational environment? Will the testing elucidate any risks associated with the technology? Will the tests verify the operational suitability of the technology? Do the tests address the impact of implementing the technology on system operation and maintenance? In the case of new coatings for example, will the tests include reparability and strippability? Are there other tests such as occupational health and safety and environmental compliance that need to be performed? Engage with the approving authority! 8
ADMINISTRATIVE BARRIERS What standards must be met or developed? Costly and/or time consuming Desire for multiple suppliers Introduction of product to logistics activities (e.g., obtaining NSNs) Does implementing the technology place a training burden on the user? Corrosion takes time Resources can be diverted to tech with shorter development time 9
OVERCOMING ADMINISTRATIVE BARRIERS Recognize their existence and which ones apply to a specific technology Communicate with the stakeholders that have the ability to define, remove, or lower a given barrier Include resources (time and funding) for overcoming the barriers as a part of the plan 10
In-Situ Coatings for Steel Pilings Objective Demonstrate In-Situ Application of a High-Build, Water Tolerant Epoxy to Preserve Sheet Pile on Dam Structures Technology: Limpet Cofferdam self-sealing, rapidly movable Coating System o 2K amine epoxy o 100% solids o Cures underwater o Single coat sprayable up to 40 mils Lessons Learned: Perform comprehensive pre-job inspection damage to sheet pile was greater than expected; repairs impacted schedule and cost Develop rapid method for sealing leaks Pin holes in coating were observed in areas of severe pitting 11
High-Performance Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites For Water Control Structures Objective Demonstrate the use of custom designed high-performance fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) thermoplastic and thermoset composite materials on a spillway dam structure Technology: Replace deteriorated concrete with thermoplastic composite materials - good toughness and can be installed as modular units) Replace spillway gates with thermoset composite materials - good water resistance, high stiffness, and easily formable to the shape Lessons Learned: Structural design criteria had to be developed The wide range of FRP materials available makes specifications challenging Hardware still susceptible to corrosion 12
Tank Monitoring for Ship Ballast Tanks Objective Replace the current timebased tank and void inspection method (open, gas-free, and inspect) with a Tank Monitoring Systems (TMS). Technology: Three major components: o Instrumented zinc anode o 3-6 Ag/AgCl reference electrodes o Waterproof enclosed datalogger system Measured potentials and magnitude of anode current output provides information on the condition of the coating system Lessons Learned: Implementation required major changes to the Navy s tank maintenance strategy 13
Rapid Cure Coatings for Well Decks Objective Transition products identified/developed under the ONR FNC/TOC Single Coat program, as well as incorporate newly developed products and processes specifically designed for well deck applications Technology: Rapid cure solvent free plural component epoxies and polyurethanes. Cure times: o Standard epoxies 8-12 hrs o Rapid cure epoxies 1-3 hrs o Polyurethanes ~30 minutes Improved production rates and rapid return to service Lessons Learned: Polyurethanes required the use of an impingement mixing gun and highly trained applicators Slower curing epoxies were more forgiving from an application standpoint Performance-based specification had to be updated 14
Single-Component Polysiloxane Topside Coating Objective Implement a singlecomponent, easy to apply, and long-term exterior durable (color and gloss retentive) topside coating for touch-up and repair on Navy ships Technology: Low VOC single-component polysiloxane coating Depot or field level touch-up and repair of topside coatings Applied direct-to-metal or over an epoxy primer Lessons Learned: Small percentage changes (e.g., 0.25 wt. %) in catalyst had significant effects on the dry times and resulting appearance when applied under hot conditions Single-component system eliminated mixing errors during application 15
Polyurethane Gaskets for Topside Ship Applications Objective Determine the efficacy of installing polyurethane conductive gaskets for antennas that require electrical connectivity with the ship's ground Technology: Polyurethane gaskets with an embedded aluminum mesh Successfully implemented on aviation systems prior to this project Galvanic isolation while maintaining electrical conductivity between antenna and mounting base Lessons Learned: Implementation required: o Development of a new procurement specification o Changes to ships preventative maintenance system o Inclusion of the gaskets in the Navy supply system 16
Low Voltage Anodes for Corrosion Protection of High Strength Materials Objective Develop low voltage anodes to prevent hydrogen embrittlement of high strength components Technology: Conventional anodes Resistor-modified cabling Demonstrated successfully both in the laboratory and aboard a USCG vessel Lessons Learned: The vendor that assembled the prototype circuit was acquired by another company and the development of the circuit was halted The Navy s CP design criteria required modification A parallel program developed an alloy composition that met requirements 17
Summary Technology development is difficult but is necessary to assist in reducing the impact of corrosion on assets Sometimes, technology implementation can be more difficult than the development Understanding the types of barriers to implementation that can be encountered and having plans for overcoming them significantly improves the chances that technologies will be adopted and implemented. Communicating with the approving authorities and users before, during, and after engaging in a technology program is key It s a Team Sport 18