The Department of Defense (DoD) acquires, operates, and maintains a vast array of physical assets that include vehicles, aircraft, ships, materiel, and facilities such as buildings, utilities, airfields, piers, and wharves, and other infrastructure. All of these assets are susceptible to corrosion.

Although the word "corrosion" is most often associated with "rust" and the oxidation of other metals, 10 U.S.C. § 2228 defines corrosion as, "the deterioration of a material or its properties due to a reaction of that material with its chemical environment." The term includes the deterioration of all materials, which can be caused through sun exposure, mold and mildew, wind, and other environmental factors. It also includes the deterioration of all materials, which can be caused through sun exposure, mold and mildew, wind, and other environmental elements.

The process of corrosion mitigation includes selecting the right materials, while considering the environmental severity factors that exist at the facility's location. Facilities affected by corrosion include pipelines, fuel tanks, pavements, roofs, transformers, switchgear, electrical boxes, HVAC equipment, water towers, fire hydrants, motors, and compressors. Also affected facilities include bridges, wharfs, piers, connectors, fencing, steam and water distribution lines, boilers, ladders, stairways, wash racks, fire sprinkler systems, fire hydrants, airfield pavements, and many other facilities types.

 

Often the effects of corrosion remain unseen or unnoticed until a failure occurs. In the facilities environment, selecting the correct surface treatment and the type of wallboard, as well as providing dehumidification or HVAC system water-treatment will make a huge difference in a facility’s durability and longevity.

CorrDefense

The CorrDefense.org website provides opportunities for the Test and Evaluation (T&E) of new products related to facilities, the results of past T&E projects, the Facilities WIPT member area at CorrDefense.org, facilities-related materials, and the ISO Corrosivity Category Estimation Tool (ICCET) Toolbox. Training opportunities for government personnel are also discussed.

The CPC Source

The Director of the Corrosion Policy and Oversight Office (CPO) has partnered with the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) to host the CPC Source section on the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG.org). The WBDG.org portal houses and maintains a large number of corrosion-related criteria and Corrosion Prevention and Control (CPC) related resources. The WBDG is the “go to” location for the government and private sector, and serves as the host for facilities criteria, standards and guidance.

 

The CPC Source (http://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/cpc-source) is intended to help planners, facility managers, sustainers, Architects and Engineers, and constructors manage problems and make informed decisions to correct and address CPC requirements in new construction, repairs, and existing deficiencies before they cause failure and increase sustainment costs.

 

The CPC Source contains a broad spectrum of CPC content related to the facilities life cycle, as well as facilities-related training (http://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/cpc-source/training), all of which is focused on increasing awareness and helping personnel make good decisions in planning, design, construction, and sustainment.