Every year, it is said, India loses around `2 trillion (US$40bn) due to corrosion of infrastructure, industrial equipment and other vital installations. This is roughly about four percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In addition to causing severe damage and threat to public safety, corrosion disrupts operations and requires extensive repair and replacement of failed assets.  

   Fortunately, the corrosion of metals especially reinforcing steel has been receiving increasing attention because of its widespread occurrence and the high cost of repairing these structures.

  There are many advantages of planning for corrosion control and mitigation. Two of the main ones are that the life of an asset is extended and maintenance time and costs are reduced. 

   Today, the infrastructure construction sector is growing at its fastest pace.  As India builds its infrastructure, use of concrete is steadily gaining pace as the most viable option to speed up construction. 

   According to a leading market research organization, the volume of construction output will grow by more than 70 percent to $15 trillion worldwide by 2025. The meteoric growth, which outpaces that of global GDP, will be concentrated in three countries: China, the US and India.

   We are on a fast track in the country and it is important we ensure that corrosion mitigation measures are taken care of right at the start itself. If corrosion effects are considered in the design phase and the right decisions made prior to construction, buildings can be built to last and protected for as long as possible. 

   In this issue, we focus on the why’s of corrosion of metal in concrete structures and ways and means to mitigate it. As the above figures show, this is one area where the coatings and corrosion mitigating industry can grow in terms of business.

   I sincerely believe, the cost to mitigate corrosion should not be evaluated solely on the initial investment, but on the cost-to-benefit ratio. These materials, when used correctly would add a small fraction of cost at the construction stage (typically less than 1 percent the cost of construction), but will protect the structure from deterioration in the long run and help reduce maintenance costs.

   Besides, we also have our gamut of regular columns besides the interview, technical features, educational, etc. Happy reading!!!

Jolly Lonappan

Editor-in-Chief