What Happens to Your Asset
Deterioration usually results from a combination of causes. Identifying the primary sources helps determine the best protection.
Chemical Exposure
Exposure to aggressive chemicals break down concrete by dissolving the cement paste that holds it together, leaving exposed aggregate and a weakening surface. In wastewater environments, the primary culprit is hydrogen sulfide gas converting to sulfuric acid. In water containment and processing facilities, damage occurs through direct contact with the chemicals being stored or handled.
Corrosion
Moisture, chlorides, and oxygen break down metal from the surface inward. Once corrosion starts under an ineffective coating, it continues out of sight. Structural metal, tanks, and equipment in humid or chemically exposed environments face the greatest risks.
Abrasion
Constant water pressure and movement, grit, and mechanical contact wear away concrete and coatings over time. Anywhere material moves against a surface — channels and wet wells, tank bottoms, loading areas, and traffic-bearing floors — the asset experiences steady and cumulative damage.
Moisture Intrusion
When water penetrates concrete, it carries chemicals inward, corrodes embedded reinforcement, and expands when it freezes. What starts as surface dampness often leads to cracking, spalling, and structural loss.
These conditions affect assets across every environment we encounter.