Hydraulic steel structures

Hydraulic steel structures would be unthinkable without effective active or passive corrosion protection. These special structures are constantly exposed to the aggressive effects of water and the atmosphere, significantly impacting their integrity.

They are affected by various factors including sunlight, weather, water splashes, tidal changes, waves, varying salt content, and mechanical stress. To protect such facilities from corrosion, we offer our special coatings, developed and tested for maximum performance to ensure the long-term safety, usage, and stability of waterworks.

In Germany, tests and approvals from IM 1 to IM 4 are conducted in accordance with ZTV-W regulations and the “Richtlinien zur Prüfung von Beschichtungssystemen für den Korrosionsschutz im Wasserbau” (RPB – Guidelines for Testing Coating Systems for Corrosion Protection in Hydraulic Engineering). Our systems also undergo testing for long-term exposure beyond laboratory conditions.

If the test results are positive, they are included in the BAW quality assessment lists (Bundesanstalt für Wasserbau [German Federal Institute for Waterway Design and Research]).

This falls under the responsibility of the Federal Institute of Waterway Engineering in Karlsruhe, according to the ZTV-W, “Supplementary Specifications – Hydraulic Engineering,” for corrosion protection of steel hydraulic structures. This applies to all solid and moving parts of hydraulic structures, as well as metal parts of hydraulic equipment, during both the construction and maintenance phases. Accordingly, they can also be utilized for corrosion protection on ships, boats, shipping, steel sheet piles in waterworks, and offshore installations.

Moreover, in line with the standards and requirements of energy suppliers, additional tests that exceed the ZTV-W requirements are conducted. Thus, our special “Delta-T-tests” simulate and test our protective paint systems against high temperature fluctuations. If successful, these protective paint systems can also be applied, for example, to protect the insides of cooling water pipes from corrosion.