Making sense of concrete corrosion

Why do things break? It's a question my grandchildren ask when their favorite toys fall to pieces.

The engineer in me gives an answer young minds might understand. Weak materials. Wear and time. Excessive force or mass. (Well, maybe not excessive force or mass.)

But when I have to explain a break or crack in a major building's balcony or facade to condo owners, they don't face the facts as easily. I encounter this often as a concrete-in-steel expert -- and I wish I didn't, because that means building owners and contractors aren't doing things the right way. Reinforcing steel corrosion should be suspected with Cathodic Protection cure methods used for over 30 years.

This is especially true in coastal areas. I just appeared on Local 6 in Orlando, where buildings suffer constant hurricane damage, and are impacted daily by salt-infused air. You can view the segment here.

This combination creates the 'perfect storm' for corrosion risk. My recommendation: Buildings 10 years old or more should be examined by engineers.

It happens closer to home, too. The Crab House Eatery in Cape May County, N.J., collapsed this week, injuring nine people. Fortunately, nobody died, but does it have to come to that before action is taken?

We haven't heard yet what weakened the bulkhead supporting the pier. Still, cracking, degradation, and wearing in concrete doesn’t happen overnight, so the structure was likely corroding for many years.

That's why we're in constant conversation with customers who own marine properties, and are committed to keeping concrete structures sound. We who understand the science greatly prefer planning and preventing tragedy to making sense of a collapse.

The good news: The right technology and expertise can achieve safety. And that's a concept even a child understands.