Performance of Enamel Coating: Corrosion Prevention in Reinforced Concrete and Metal Pipeline under Environmental and Vibrating Effects

Corrosion is one of the main problems that cause gradual damage in the pipeline and reinforced concrete. Generally, the corroded areas involve a restricted portion of the structure that can be hardly visible, until all the structure is compromised. For this reason, to increase the structure’s life cycle, additional protections are commonly used, such as cathodic protection and coating deposition. Specifically, the work in this thesis focuses on evaluating the performance of the enamel coating in these structures. Firstly, the materials composition and methodologies used to fabricate the coating are presented. After that, a dynamic model is studied to predict the behavior of the enamel coating when the fluid flow induces vibration in the pipe. The whole system is described using a mathematical model and the results are provided by MATLAB software. Afterward, the ability of the enamel coating to protect against corrosion phenomena, when this coating is deposed on the rebar surface is studied. In this case, the specimens are tested in 3.5 % wt NaCl solution and in a saturated solution of Ca(OH)2 with pH 14. The main aim of this thesis is to prove that the enamel coating, implemented from slurry or powder, provides higher corrosion resistance, better adhesion to the substrate and longer life cycle compared to the epoxy coating. The goal is to consider enamel coating as a realistic alternative to the coating traditional strategies.