Knowledge Center
For centuries, people have known about zinc’s remarkable ability to protect steel from rust. Over the years, a number of different methods have been devised to put this into practice.
Each method has its own specific characteristics and yields properties that can be completely different from one another.
Strangely enough, however, the term “galvanizing” is still used as a sort of catch-all term, leading to all sorts of misunderstandings among designers, spec writers, and contractors. You also sometimes hear people talk about “galvanizing” when they actually mean hot-dip galvanizing. However, contractors often interpret this to mean electrogalvanizing.
Ultimately, a misinterpretation of the client’s requirements leads to both premature corrosion and potential structural failure.
Proper use of the correct terminology is therefore of the utmost importance for ensuring the high quality of the final product.
Industrial-scale hot-dip galvanizing dates back nearly two centuries. Yet galvanizing remains the most efficient way to protect steel from rust.
The galvanizing process is essentially still the same:
immersing steel in a bath of molten zinc.
The success of hot-dip galvanizing is due to several remarkable properties
- Zinc-iron alloys
- Optimal adhesion
- Zinc patina on top
- Cathodic protection
- Circular economy
When we consider these advantages, it’s no wonder that we see hot-dip galvanized objects all around us—in the cityscape, along highways, and in both industrial and rural settings.
More and more people are asking whether a building component complies with the building code. Important then is that the product can function well structurally for 50 years and will not fail. In general, reference can often be made to buildings or constructions that have existed for a very long time, such as, for example, the bridge over the Twente Canal near Almen built by the Canadians in 1945, which has been written about regularly. In Belgium, there is also a Baileys bridge from the same period in Postel.
Earlier research on conductor rail has shown that even when only 25% of the zinc layer is still intact, the strength of the steel and thus residual life is present. More and more, one will see guide rails being reused as a result. After all, there is a huge environmental gain to be made by doing so. The so-called reference period of a structure depends on the structure itself and its use. In many cases, however, 50 years will be the norm.
For anyone who works with or comes into contact with hot-dip galvanized steel, this brochure from Zinkinfo Benelux provides a clear overview of the technical considerations.
On our website, you’ll find plenty of information about hot-dip galvanizing—from inspiring applications in our local area to detailed technical explanations.
Since all this information isn’t always easy to grasp at a glance, we’ve put together this brochure as a practical guide. In it, you’ll find more information on topics such as standards, suitable steel, necessary pre-processing, countersink holes, assembly, welding, and moving parts. Where necessary, we refer you to Technical Data Sheets, each of which provides further details on a specific aspect. You can access these documents directly via the links in this brochure.
Our goal is for everyone involved in hot-dip galvanizing to have sufficient knowledge to communicate effectively with market participants.
