Ships Corrosion Control Design Requirements

Abstract As the U.S Navy strives to strengthen its maritime dominance in the 21st century, the need for higher operational availability is integral to being able to perform its mission. Corrosion of structures and systems in corrosion prone areas drives reliability and is a significant contributor to depot maintenance availability schedules and costs. Ultimately, corrosion is a key risk item that impacts all seawater exposed systems, reduces or even defines system life/reliability, degrades operational availability, and demonstrably increases lifecycle costs. Design decisions made in acquisition will affect time in maintenance, cost, safety, and operational availability throughout the life cycle. The proper corrosion control methods in the form of material selection, paints and coatings and cathodic protection determine the extent of corrosion. It is critical that corrosion control requirements are codified early in the design process. Design trade-offs that prioritize initial cost over corrosion control can equate to serious life-cycle cost and maintenance impacts, as well as system downtime or inability to perform a mission. This topic will discuss Navy relevant coatings, cathodic protection, and material selection requirements and source documentation, with practical end-user applicability.