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)

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