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CORROSION PROTECTION
integrity of the systems and how to ensure safety,” says Fowler. “Th is often requires looking beyond the traditional mindset of fi nding and fi xing, towards a preventive maintenance approach.” International standards also have a key role to play, for as new standards emerge, so do the tools to understand the integrity of the systems. Among the technology gaps identified in the NACE Gap Analysis were the need to understand how various factors influence corrosion and integrity, how to better detect the onset and extent of corrosion, and how to improve the overall education, training and public awareness of the influence of corrosion. “Once standards are adopted – whether voluntarily or by mandate – the next step in the battle against corrosion is investing in a trained and qualified workforce,” explains Fowler. “The need to educate begins at the top with decision-makers such as chief financial officers, engineering vice presidents and owners, whose important decisions today play a key role in preserving the assets tomorrow. Front-line managers and field personnel, however, all need to be involved in the process if it is to succeed.” NACE and its members have developed training to address the issues facing the infrastructure community for those at all levels, many of which lead to world-recognised certifications. These include cathodic protection, one of the key techniques to address structural corrosion; and coatings, which most engineers believe is the number one tool to address corrosion. Th is also highlights the vital role of research and development departments in the infrastructure industries, which will ultimately provide solutions to the next generation of corrosion-related crises. “Today, many of the corrosion problems facing the industry can be solved with current solutions and techniques, but as industry continues to push critical infrastructure beyond the original design life, more and better solutions will be needed,” says Fowler. Public awareness is also playing an important role as governments adopt policies to preserve their infrastructures. The good news is that attitudes towards corrosion are changing, albeit slowly. For example, through legislation like the Corrosion Prevention Act pending before the US Congress and similar actions by other governments throughout the world, corrosion is beginning to win the attention of those who can affect change. For example, the Corrosion Prevention Act, once passed, will provide the energy industry in the United States with a 50 percent tax credit for corrosion work that goes above and beyond regulatory requirements. Th is is the fi rst step in encouraging industry with fi nancial incentives as they deal with the impact of corrosion. Planning today to mitigate imminent corrosion is vital for the future of critical assets, as well as the long-term health of the global economy. “For those in the infrastructure industry, now is the time to consider corrosion prevention,” concludes Fowler. “Taking advantage of the available knowledge and training, we can help ensure that the assets we count on today are useful when we need them tomorrow.”
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FIT FOR A KING
J
otun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints and coatings, announced this summer that it has secured a massive contract to paint the major part of the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), a state-of-the-art and fully self-contained centre for doing business and facilitating investment and enterprise currently under construction in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The high-profile undertaking, which will involve paintwork on 850,000 square metres of the financial centre, is part of the manufacturer’s aggressive growth strategy in the region. Envisioned as part of the Kingdom’s overall economic diversification programme, KAFD is being built by Hill International – with Omrania & Associates and Gensler & Associates acting as the project consultants – and will have a total built-up area of 1.6 million square metres. With the aim to protecting the structure from the elements as well as natural wear and tear, Jotun recommended its Fenomastic range for the structure’s interiors and Jotashield for the exteriors, with solvent-free Jotafloor coatings to be used for the floors. “The King Abdullah Financial District project stands to be one of our biggest achievements in terms of decorative projects we have undertaken in Riyadh to date, and we are very excited to complete this enormous task using our specially formulated paints and coatings,” says Kjell Gundersen, Managing Director of Jotun Saudia. “Given the important role it will play in further strengthening the Kingdom’s position as the Middle East’s financial capital, we are committed to ensuring that the paint solutions we will deliver will provide maximum protection for this important icon of the Kingdom’s economic dominance.” Upon its completion, KAFD will house the Capital Market Authority and the Stock Exchange (Tadawul), as well as financial institutions and other service providers such as accountants, auditors, lawyers, analysts, rating agencies, consultants and IT providers. In addition, the project will also accommodate a financial academy for 5000 students, offices, hotels, shops, recreational facilities, waterways, squares, parks, sports arenas, restaurants and six mosques. A monorail system will serve as the main means of transportation within the development, while skywalk-style bridges will connect all 30 buildings within the financial district.
16/09/2010 10:16