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“One expert who has studied structural failures said when parking decks collapse says it usually isn’t from a car hitting them. The most common culprit is when rebar—steel reinforcing bars—corrodes inside concrete.
“It corrodes, expands and cracks the concrete,” said William Schutt, president of Philadelphia-based Matcor Inc., which tries to prevent corrosion in structures like bridges. “That’s common.”
“Schutt said 20 years is enough time for serious structural problems to occur, especially if proper maintenance isn’t performed.
To read the whole story, go to: http://www.charlotte.com/local/story/623032.html
The American Concrete Institute (ACI), Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware Chapter, recognized MATCOR for designing and providing materials for a comprehensive cathodic protection system for a power plant in Iquique, Chile. Corrotek, a local Chilean contractor, performed the concrete repairs and installed the cathodic protection systems with technical and engineering support from MATCOR. More than 32,000 square feet of Mixed Metal Oxide/Titanium Mesh Anodes were installed. In addition, Corrotek applied probe and ribbon anodes to cast pilings and other supports that were being replaced. The project employed eight impressed current rectifiers and required six months to complete, during which time the power plant remained operating, supplying power to the residents and businesses of Iquique. The total cost of repairs exceeded $1,250,000 USD which included in excess of $200,000 USD of materials supplied by MATCOR from its Doylestown-based manufacturing facility.
To date, this is the largest impressed current steel in concrete cathodic protection system ever installed in Chile.
The closure of a significant portion of a major Philadelphia artery received great attention in the Greater Philadelphia area. Following last week’s closure of a major portion of Interstate 95, many are looking to understand more about the problem’s history and details.
MATCOR President William Schutt has had informative discussions with several news and media outlets on the topic. He’s shared his opinion on the issue considering his engineering expertise with respect to corrosion as well as bridge and infrastructure failures that relate to corrosion.
Below is a recent article by Richard Pearsall of the Courier Post on the topic and includes several key points by Mr. Schutt.
Click here for a full version of the article.
In addition, Mr. Schutt talked with reporter Lu Ann Cahn and appeared recently on NBC 10.
Click here to visit the NBC 10 Site for a video
Click here for a transcript of the story.
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