Advancements in Corrosion Mitigation Correlations to Blasting Media Selection

Abstract The Department of Defense (DOD) employs the Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) as the standard for facilities and infrastructure (F&I) requirements. To ensure compliance with these standards, the DOD issues Unified Facilities Guide Specifications (UFGS) which outline specific performance, or formulation requirements, required to meet expected lifespans. Since coatings serve as the first line of defense, UFGS references military-standard coatings, or open formulations, that have undergone rigorous testing. These specifications include detailed certification and standards for contractors, application training, quality assurance testing, surface preparation, and quality control to ensure top-tier contractor performance. Unfortunately, surface preparation details receive limited attention. Current surface preparation specifications reference a national standard focused on surface cleanliness and profile height range, leaving the process to achieve the standards the discretion of contractor. Previous studies have shown a correlation between the choice of blasting media and its impact on corrosion mitigation in a single coating system. This presentation expands on those findings, providing a comprehensive correlation study across several coating systems.