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The Product Certification Scheme for Steel for Reinforcement of Concrete. General description of the CARES certification scheme for reinforcing steel in the UK
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This guide is published by UK CARES, Sevenoakes, TN13 1XR. It outlines the benefits of using stainless steel for concrete reinforcement. These include decreases inspection and maintenance costs and extension of design life of structures at risk of reinforcement corrosion, compared with using carbon steel reinforcement. The specification these steels to BS 6744:2001 is outlined and guidance on the use of stainless reinforcing given. The CARES schemes for manufacturer quality management system approval and review are also discussed.
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The moisture level in timber is the most important factor in determining the incidence of corrosion. Above a threshold moisture level, wood is always acidic due to the breakdown of wood cellulose to acetic acid. Applied chemical treatments to the timber or exposure in a marine environment can increase the corrosion risk.
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BS 6744 was originally published in 1986. A recent revision, (2009), has introduced 2 new duplex grades. The current version now includes European steel grades, (numbers in the standard), 1.4301, 1.4436, 1.4429, 1.4162, 1.4362, 1.4462, 1.4501, 1.4529.The chemical composition of stainless steels covered in the this standard are shown along with the specified tensile properties for the ‘grades’, 200, 500, and 650
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A range of cleaning methods for stainless steel is described. Routine cleaning methods for light soiling, (e.g. fingerprints, oil and grease marks, light rust staining), are given. These are followed by methods for cleaning stainless steel following vandalism, accident and neglect. (130)
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Life expectancy is estimated from pitting depth measurements made on exposed test samples. The results depend on steel grade, environment and surface finish. Staining from micro pitting may result in rejection of the steel on aesthetic grounds, long before pitting has perforated it. Steel types 430, (ferritic), 304, and 316, (austenitic), are considered. (104)
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A guide to EN 1090 for stainless steel related issues
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The RFCS project “Structural Applications of Ferritic Stainless Steels” (“SAFSS”) was completed in 2014. The project consortium included the Euro Inox members Acerinox, Aperam and Outokumpu. The Steel Construction Institute was entrusted with the project management. The other partners were the Slovenian research laboratory IMTL, structural engineers Ove Arup and Partners, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya and Finnish think tank VTT.
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Stainless steels do not have an intrinsic ‘fire rating’. Tests to assess fire resistance are performed on specific fabrications under precise conditions to BS476 parts 20, 21, (load-bearing elements), and 22, (non-load-bearing elements). Fire tests results on some specific products demonstrate the good fire resisting properties of stainless steels in building and ship bulkhead applications. (186)
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Stainless steel is a great material to work with. As with all materials you need to know how to treat it correctly for maximum cost effectiveness. This article summarises the typical pitfalls and remedies.
