International Zinc Association (IZA) bats for using galvanized steel for corrosion-free infrastructure

By admin On Aug 3, 2023

Bhubaneshwar : International zinc association held a knowledge dissemination session on ‘Cutting the Cost of Corrosion on Infrastructure’ today in Bhubaneswarandpressed on urgency of protecting infrastructure of coastal cities from menace of corrosion. They examined the pressing concerns around corrosion damage on Infrastructure and found solutions. Highlighting the concerns over corrosion and its impact on infrastructure and public safety, the experts including Prof. P Dinakar, professor, IIT Bhubaneswar;Dr. Rahul Sharma, Director (India) – International Zinc Association, and Prof. Anand S Khanna, professor, IIT Bombay (Retried);stressed on the need for a thorough corrosion protection mechanism that will not only ensure infrastructure longevity but also minimize economic and environmental damages.

According to the CORCON Institute of Corrosion, the global cost of corrosion is $2.5 trillion per year, which equates to 3-4 percent of global GDP and about 4% of Indian GDP . Infrastructure failure due to corrosion has an impact on infrastructure, which has an impact on the economy. The International Zinc Association,the only industry association committed completely to the interests of zinc and its consumers.

Amongst the many issues, one of the prolonged problems faced by the Indian railways is corrosion of Rail tracks as India has a long coastline. The open toilets in the trains along with animal and bird faeces adds to the problem of Railway track corrosion. The ideal life of railway tracks should be 12 years but because of corrosion issues, rail tracks need to be replaced every two years, according to railway officials. Zinc Thermal spray of Rails resulted in reduced maintenance needs for railway tracks. The protective zinc coating acts as a long-term shield against corrosion, reducing the frequency of repairs and maintenance. This saves both time and resources for railway authorities, allowing them to focus on other critical maintenance tasks.