Zinc is an abundant element that can be found everywhere – from the Earth’s crust to animal and plant life.

Zinc is used in a variety of applications for prevention and protection.  Zinc helps to boost the human immune system; it also protects our skin from the sun and repels insects.

The protective nature of zinc doesn’t stop there.  It also protects our infrastructure from corrosion when used as a coating for iron and steel.  Suited for protection in most environments, the rate of corrosion is sometimes 10 to 100 times slower than that of other ferrous materials.  Zinc coating has a long lifespan – depending on the environment, zinc can protect steel or iron parts maintenance-free for 75-100 years.

Upon exposure to the air, zinc coating develops a patina that serves to further protect the steel or iron part.  After exposure to the various environmental elements, as illustrated in the diagrams below, the final patina is dense and insoluble, slowing the rate of corrosion of the zinc layers beneath.

	As soon as Zinc coating is exposed to the air, it begins to react with the oxygen, developing a patina of Zinc Oxide.
	As the patina is exposed to moisture – rain, humidity – it develops into Zinc Hydroxide.
	Continued exposure to the air and the Zinc Hydroxide patina reacts with the carbon dioxide – converting to Zinc Carbonate [2ZnCO8 * An(OH)2].

Source: “Growth of the Protective Zinc Patina” from the American Galvanizers Association

Contact us today to order zinc coated fasteners.  Click here or call 972-314-3330.

Corrosion is an inevitable and costly contributor to the decay of our infrastructure.  While it is a natural occurrence, measures can be taken to delay the corrosion process and reduce the indirect costs associated with structural damage.

The FHWA and NACE* 2002 study entitled “Corrosion Costs and Preventative Strategies in the United States” estimated the annual direct cost of metallic corrosion at $276 billion, or 3.1% of the U.S. GDP.  This amounts to $970 per U.S. resident per year, based on population estimates from 2001.  Indirect costs of corrosion, such as lost productivity, litigation and taxes bring the total costs of corrosion to about $552 billion, double the direct cost.

Rusty Bolt

Direct costs of corrosion can be distributed by industry sector.  For example, the infrastructure category which includes highway bridges, gas and liquid transmission pipelines, waterways and ports, hazardous materials storage, airports and railroads incurs a direct corrosion cost of $22.6 billion annually.  The utilities category, which includes drinking water and sewer systems, incurs $47.9 billion in direct corrosion costs per year.

The study asserts that “These costs could be reduced by broader application of corrosion-resistant materials and the application of best corrosion-related technical practices.”  It also suggests that one-third of total corrosion costs stem from avoidable corrosion.  We will take a look at some methods to control corrosion for steel fasteners in posts to come.

*U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE)

Give us a call today to order fasteners coated for corrosion resistance.  Click here or call 972-314-3330.

Acme All Thread Rod

ACME Profile
Squared Profile
Trapezoidal Profile

While added strength is a benefit to using ACME All Thread Rod, this profile offers much lower efficiency and the thread angle places greater radial load on the nut.  This profile is often used for feed and adjusting screws on machine tools.

Do you need ACME All Thread Rod for your project?  Click here or call us today at 972-314-3330 to place your order!

As illustrated in the chart above, there can be a significant difference in the number of threads per inch between UNC and UNF threading.  UNC is the most common general fastener thread; the fit is deeper and is more versatile in its application.  With fewer threads, it is easier to apply and easier to remove.  Coarse threading also handles manufacturing and plating better than Fine threading due to it having greater tolerances.  However, UNF threads are not as deep as UNC threads and this larger minor diameter allows for better load-carrying ability.  The fit is more specific with finer tension adjustment and tighter tolerances.  Finer pitch threads are mostly used in applications where safety or where loosening due to vibration or shock would be an issue.

Which thread fit is best for your project?  Contact us today for more information or to place your order!

The approach Texas is taking to make its ARRA transportation funds go as far as possible is the public-private partnership.  This is well illustrated in the DFW Connector Project, a project set to begin construction in 2010 and estimated to take five years to complete.  In regard to involvement by the private sector in this project, TxDOT explains:

“This is not a concession-model CDA and no long-term lease agreements will result from this design/build CDA.  When the project is complete, the team’s work is done unless TxDOT chooses to have them provide maintenance.”

The DFW Connector includes 14.4 miles of the SH 114/121 corridor leading to DFW airport, a highly congested area as those of us commuting in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex know.  The DFW Connector will reduce this congestion by doubling existing capacity and improving traffic conditions on seven highways, six interchanges and ten bridges.  SH 114 will be widened to as many as 14 lanes by 2014 with four additional toll-managed lanes and up to seven frontage road lanes.  This ambitious project is expected to create jobs and promote long-term economic development in both Dallas and Tarrant Counties. 

“Team submits accellerated design/build plan.”  DFW Connector.  26 03 2009.  Texas Department of Transportation, Web.  16 Oct 2009. 

Anchor Bolts, U-Bolts and All Thread Rod.  Click here to see product information or call Taylor at 972-314-3330 today for a quote!

 *Source:  “The States and the Stimulus.”  June 2009.  Smart Growth America, Web.  14 Oct 2009. 

Kansas DOT is addressing a need for increased capacity on US-69 in the Kansas City metropolitan area.  This section of US-69 serves a region with the largest concentration of employment in Kansas and growth within this particular corridor is estimated to produce 220,000 jobs in that area by 2020.  KDOT considers this project a solid investment, as it will create or save 2,500 jobs during construction and will generate about $225 million in annual economic output during construction.

Florida is also using its ARRA transportation money for big projects rather than quick fixes.  I-95, an Interstate highway running from Maine to Miami, is one of two main arteries in Florida and is in dire need of added capacity.  With ARRA funding, more than three miles of I-95 in Brevard County will be widened from four to six lanes with modifications to three bridges as well as additional road-improvement projects.  Resident population and tourist growth in Florida has made adding capacity to this major corridor imperative for easing traffic flow and for safety.  The construction industry has been hit hard in Florida, but stimulus projects are expected to create or save 8,000 jobs statewide.

*Ranger Construction Awarded I-95 Widening Project.” Ranger Contruction’s I-95 Design-Build Project, 9/17/09.  Ranger Construction, Web.  16 Oct 2009.

Next Blog:  ARRA in Texas:  the Public-Private Approach

Taylor offers AASHTO Anchor Bolts and Commercial Anchor Bolts – Straight and L-Bend.  Call Taylor at 972-314-3330 for a quote today!

New Jersey, as an example, has an astounding percentage of roads not in “good condition” at 90%.  The American Society of Civil Engineers New Jersey Section ranks New Jersey roads among the worst in the country, where motorists in 2005 paid a total of $3.6 billion dollars in extra vehicle repairs and operating costs due to poor road conditions (up from $1.4 billion in 2003).  With ARRA funding, road and bridge preservation projects, like the replacement of two bridge decks over Route 46 in Bergen County, are bing pulled off of the back burner.

Next week:  Easing the Bottlenecks

Taylor is a manufacturer / distributor of AASHTO Anchor Bolts and AASHTO nuts and washers.  Click here to see drawings, specifications, brochures and stock lists!

We have all heard about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or the “economic stimulus bill,” signed into law by President Obama in February of 2009.  But, what could it mean for the transportation construction industry?  Of the $787 billion total to be distributed for economic stimulus by the ARRA, approximately $48 billion has been allocated for investment in transportation infrastructure.

*Source:  “Transportation.”  States for a Transparent and Accountable Recovery.  Star Coalition, Web.  14 Oct 2009.

One objective of the ARRA was to put people back to work quickly; projects receiving funds must be “shovel ready” and most are likely to be projects shelved due to financial constraints.  This should be good news for the construction industry, which has seen its unemployment rate rise to twice the national average.  New Mexico, for example, lost 4,500 highway construction jobs in the last year.

State governments across the country have been debating their overall goals in the distribution of funding toward transportation construction projects.  Should they fix the existing, deteriorating infrastructure or build new?  What would create the most jobs, provide a lasting contribution to the state economy and benefit the most people?  In the upcoming weeks, we will talk about how various states have answered these questions in their stimulus-funded infrastructure projects.

Next week:  Preserving the Existing Road and Highway System

Looking for AASHTO Anchor Bolts?  Call Taylor at 972-314-3330 or click here for more details!

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Thanks again and Go Taylor.

Robert Williams
CEO