PAINTING OF STEEL

BRIDGES

1
 Maintenance of Steel
superstructures
• Why?
– Deterioration due to age
– Rusting of steel
• Oxidation of steel in presence of water and
air
– Rust is powdery and increases in
volume
– Rust is hygroscopic, promotes more
corrosion
2
Corrosion

3
 References
• For existing structures:
– IRBM 1998 para 217, 218
• For new structures:
– IRS B1 2001 para 39

4
 Atmospheric corrosion
• High humidity level ( > 65 %)
• The corrosion velocity is doubled for every
10o C increase in temperature.
• Air pollution
– SO2 in air
– The sulphur dioxide creates H2SO3 which
is oxidized to sulphuric acid (H2SO4) which
increases the corrosion velocity.
• Similar effect of salts which come in
from sea in coastal areas
5
 Painting
• Steel girders are more prone for corrosion
– Where humidity > 60%
– In coastal areas
– Bridge across creek
– Bridge situated in industrial environment
– Girders subjected to
• Droppings from traffic
• Public nuisance

6
 Planning of painting
• Frequency 1 yr to 6 yr as prescribed by the
Chief Engineer
– Depending on the severity of corrosive
environment

7
 Types of Painting
• Patch painting
• Scraping and painting
• Cleaning and painting
• Metallising
• Epoxy painting
– The first three are using ordinary paints

8
 Planning of painting

• If a small portion of
the girder found
corroded during
inspection, but girder
not due for painting,
Patch painting to
be done
9
Planning for Painting

10
 Surface preparation
• Aims of Surface preparation
– To clean the surface off any rust, moisture,
loose/perished paints etc
– To give sufficient roughness to the surface
to be painted for better adhesion of the
paint
– The paint barrier must be complete,
uninterrupted and strongly adhering to
surface to provides effective protection
11
Scraping and Cleaning Areas to be
decided

Scraping
Cleaning

12
 Planning of painting
• Scraping to be done where the existing
paint film is deteriorated
• Only cleaning to be done where the existing
paint is satisfactory
• Scrapping area shall be decided in advance
of start of painting and advised to contractor

13
 What to do in sleeper seat?
• Hidden parts under sleeper to be exposed by
shifting
– Sleepers shifted and sleeper seat painted. After
drying of paint, sleeper shifted back
– Damages fittings and affects track parameters
– Sleepers seat painting to be done by the SE (P-
WAY) (at reduced frequency, once in 2.5
years*)
* W Rly Practice
• Metallising/ epoxy paints shall be used for
better life of paint in sleeper seat 14
 Surface preparation
• Scraping
– Remove all rust, loose/perished paint, any other
surface contaminants
• Tightly adhering paint can remain
– Use emery paper, wire brush, scrappers
– Use power tools
– Flame cleaning – oxy-acetylene flame
(not to be done on plates with thickness<10mm)
– Luke warm water – 2% detergent
– Surface shall be as per St2 in IS:5909.
• Primer as well as top coats to be applied
15
 Surface preparation
• Cleaning
– Remove the external impurities
clinging to the painted surface.
– Paint condition is good, so not to be
removed
– Surface roughness is to be improved
– Use wire brush, cloth rags, water etc
• Only top coats to be applied
16
 Precautions during painting
• Surface preparation key to the
performance of the paint system
– Upto 80% contribution
• Painting not to be done during rainy
weather and in dusty winds/ foggy/ misty
conditions
– Relative Humidity shall be less than 90%
– Moisture/ dust etc shall not be included in
the paint film 17
 Precautions during painting:
paint quality
• Paints from approved suppliers in
RDSO list shall only be used
– Paints shall conform to relevant IS
codes
– Test certificates and original bills may
be taken
– Markings on drum shall be seen
– Paints must be stored properly
Contd.. 18
Precautions during painting:
paint quality
– Outside testing may be got done if doubt
is there on quality or source of paint
– Turpentine and kerosene must not be
added as thinners.
• Only approved quality thinners from the
same manufacturer may be added if the
need is felt at site (due to very high
temperature etc)

19
Paint to be used within shelf life
• Paint red oxide – 1 year
• Aluminium
– When paste & oil not mixed – 1 year
– When mixed – 4 months
• Other paints
– As per manufacturer recommendations

20
 Precautions during painting:
painting
• Paint film thickness shall be checked??
– No thicknesses specified
– Varies with type of surface, paint manufacturer,
method of application, temperature/ humidity at
time of painting etc
• Trial shall be conducted for the surface and the brand
of paint for monitoring during work
• Initial and final readings shall be taken with elcometer
– Paint consumption shall also be monitored to
get the idea of quality
– Drums may be kept by rly till work is completed
21
 Application of Paint
• Good quality brush with minimum width 5 cm
• Brush shall be held at 45 deg to the surface
– Light strokes
– One coat shall mean two layers, second one
cross wise
– Uniform and even painted surface shall be
obtained
– Can be sprayed or rollers can also be used
• Rags, cotton waste, cloth etc shall not be
used 22
 Time lag between stages of
painting
• Maximum time
– Surface prep (scraping) and Primer – 24 hours
– Surface prep (cleaning) and first finishing coat – 48
hours
– Primer coat and 1st finishing coat
– 1st finishing and 2nd finishing coat } 7 days
• Paint layer shall be applied only after sufficient
drying of the earlier paint layer
• Even for prepared surface, there may be
contamination
– Must be cleaned during painting
23
 Temporary coating
• If due to some reason, the painting cannot
be taken up immediately after the surface
preparation
– Temporary coating of linseed oil shall be
applied thinly and uniformly
– 1/3 litres per 10 sqm shall be sufficient

24
 Painting Scheme: No Severe
corrosion
• Priming coat
– One coat of Zinc chromate priming to IS
104 followed by red oxide zinc chrome
priming to IS 2074
OR
– Two coat of Zinc chromate red oxide primer
to IRS P31
• Finishing coat
– Two cover coats of red oxide paint to IS 123
25
 Painting Scheme: Severe
corrosion
• Priming coat
– One coat of ready mixed paint zinc
chromate priming to IS:104 followed by
one coat of red oxide zinc chrome
priming to IS: 2074
• Finishing
– Two coats of red oxide paint to IS: 123
or aluminium paint to IS 2339
26
 Lead paints
• Red Lead paints are not available in
market
• These were replaced by Zinc Chrome
priming to IS:104 followed by Zinc
Chrome Red Oxide priming to IS:2074
in IRBM vide correction slip no 12
• Even Red Oxide paint to IS:123 is
difficult to get in market
27
 Painting During Fabrication
• Para 20.1 of IRS B1: All permanent
contact surfaces shall be removed of
paint and mill scale, cleaned, dried and
immediately a layer of Zinc Chrome Red
Oxide Priming to IS:2074* shall be
applied
*Correction vide CS no 2 to IRS B1 (As Red
Lead paints not available in market)
• Also Para 39.3 of IRS B1
28
 Painting During Fabrication

• Same painting schedule as

already shown, depending on the
severity of corrosion at location
where girder will be inserted

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Superior paints

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 Superior Paints
• Metallising
• Epoxy Painting
• Should be done for girders exposed to corrosive
environment
– Flooring system ( cross girder and rail bearer) in open web
girders
– Steel girders in industrial, suburban or coastal areas

• Also may be done for

– Top flange plate of plate girder and underslung girder
– Top bracing system in open web girders in electrified areas

31
Cross girder

32
Bridge in corrosive environment

33
Bracings in electrified area

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Top flange of plate girder

35
 Metallising

Spraying of molten Aluminium on

cleaned surface

36
37
 Metallising

• Surface preparation
–Remove Oil/ grease from metal
surface using petroleum
hydrocarbon solvent to IS:1745
–Cleaning by blasting the
surface with chilled iron grit to
G24 (grit blasting) or with sand
(sand blasting)
38
 Surface preparation
• Sand/ grit Blasting
– Best type of surface preparation
– Use air to blast clean the surface with
• sand between mesh sizes 12 to 20 (40% retained
on size 20) or
• chilled shots to G24 as per BS: 2451
– Surface to be clean of all layers including mill
scale
– In exceptional cases, if sand blasting not
possible, power tool cleaning shall be
done 39
COMPRESSOR Equipment SILICA SAND

CHILLED IRON GRIT (MAGNIFIED) HOPPER

40
 Sand vs Grit Blasting
• For small components, grit blasting shall be
done
– Grit blasting has to be done in enclosure for
collecting the shots for reusing.
• For large components and on-site, sand
blasting shall be done
• Issues
– Causes silicone particles in air, bad for health
– Shall be done with adequate precautions
• Not cause too much problem to railway users.
41
Blasted Surface: Shall be to Sa2½
as per IS:5909

42
 Scraping vs Sand blasting
• Sand blasting is very costly
– Use sand blasting for expensive paint
systems
• Use scraping and cleaning for
Ordinary painting
– Also for expensive paints in
inaccessible locations

43
 Blasting Parameters

• Spray sand/grit with pressure to

remove rust, paint and other
foreign particles
– Nozzle Pressure: Not less than
2.109 Kg/sq cm
– Nozzle Dia: Not more than 12 mm
– Nozzle Position: At Right Angles
to surface, Approx 22.5 cm away.

44
Blasting

45
 Metallising
• Metallising done using special gun
– Has acetylene/ LPG, Oxygen and Air
feeds
– Aluminium wire fed separately
– Heat from fired LPG/ Acetylene melts
the aluminium wire
– Molten metal sprayed by air pressure
onto prepared steel surface.
46
Metallising Gun

47
Metallising being Done

48
 Metallising
• Parameters for Spraying Aluminium
– Air Pressure: Not less than 4.218 Kg/sq cm
– Wire dia 3 mm or 5 mm
– Aluminium wire 99.5% pure as per
BS:1475, material 1-B or as per IS:739
– In minimum two layers
– At least one layer within 4 hrs of blasting,
and finishing within 8 hrs of blasting
49
 Metallising

• Check coating thickness using any

magnetic thickness gauge.
– Thickness minimum 115 microns
– Thickness average 150 microns

50
 Painting over Metallising

• Clean the surface free of any sand etc

• Etch primer to IS:5666
• Zinc chrome primer to IS 104
• Two coat of aluminium paint to IS 2339
– If metallising is being done in workshop,
one coat shall be applied in shop and the
second after erection at site

51
 Maintenance Painting over
metallising in service
• If the top coat is OK, the aluminium layer
shall be renewed once in five years or as
specified
• If existing paint flaked or damaged, wire
brush shall be used to remove it and
primer + aluminium paints shall be applied
• If large areas rusted, only then scraping
shall be done for painting. In such a case,
metallising may be done again.
52
 Inspection of Metallised Surface

• During inspections, no hammers

shall be used including rivet
testing hammers as the
metallising may be damaged
– Loose rivets shall be seen by signs
of rust under rivet head etc

53
 Epoxy Painting

Epoxies are having very good

adhesion and provide good
corrosion protection

54
 Epoxy painting: Surface
preparation
• Remove oil/grease using
petroleum hydrocarbon solvent ( IS
1745)
• Prepare the surface by suitable
blasting

55
 Epoxy painting
• Primer coat – Two coats of Epoxy zinc
phosphate primer to 60 micron min.
(RDSO M&C/PCN-102/ 06)
– Provides adhesion to surfae

• Intermediate coat – One coat of

micaceous iron oxide to 100 micron.
(RDSO M&C/PCN-103/ 06)
– Provides corrosion protection
56
 Epoxy painting
• Finishing coat
• In coastal areas: Two coats of polyurethane
aluminium to 40 micron. (RDSO M&C/PCN-
110/ 06)
• In other areas: Two coats of polyurethane Red
Oxide to 40 micron. (RDSO M&C/PCN-109/
06)
– Provides gloss, abrasion resistance and UV
protection
57
 Maintenance painting
• During maintenance, if epoxy paint is
flaked or some damage is seen, the
same shall be repaired by the
manufacturer’s approved paint.
• If large areas rusted, complete
epoxy painting may be done again.

58
Stepped Wet Film Thickness gauge

59
Roller Type Wet Film Thickness
gauge

60
Magnetic Pull Off Elcometer

61
Roll Back Type Elcometer

62
Digital Elcometer

63
Digital Elcometers

64
Standard Thickness Films for
Calibration

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