Hot-dip galvanizing provides exceptionally durable corrosion protection. The zinc layer, composed of several zinc-iron alloys with a top layer of pure zinc, provides long-term protection for steel. Virtually the entire territory of Belgium and the Netherlands belongs to corrosion class C3. The annual average decrease of the zinc layer is so limited in a C3 environment that, at an average zinc layer of 85 μm, the steel is protected for at least 77 years.
A perfect example? The Ehzer Bridge in Almen. Built by the Canadian Army in 1946 as a temporary solution for transporting their troops, it still stands almost 80 years later. Layer thickness measurements in 2017 showed that the zinc coating will protect the steel from rust for decades to come.
