Services for you
We also have a comprehensive array of laboratory and field testing equipment, all calibrated on a routine basis in accordance with both national and international standards.
This team is ready to be put to use at a moment’s notice for inspection and investigation of:
- Galvanized and Cor-ten Utility Poles and Transmission Lattice Towers
- Galvanized and Cor-ten Traffic and High Mast Lighting Poles
- Aluminium Traffic and Light Pole
Corrosion on transmission-line towers and poles is directly related to the atmospheric and soil conditions present for the unique location of a given pole structure, as well as to the materials of manufacturing and the quality of these materials.
- Internal corrosion due to the presence or entrapment of corrosive water (electrolyte)
- External corrosion due to corrosive atmospheric and environmental conditions
- Fatigue of Traffic and Light Poles due to wind loading and inadequate design
- Manufacturing defects and improper paint coating selection and application
- Little or no maintenance in corrosive environment
- Accumulation of debris and soil under base plate
We provide the following services:
- GIS Corrosion Mapping and Drone Inspection and Thermographic Imaging for Tower Condition Assessment
- Paint Coating Selection for Above Ground and Underground Applications
- Custom-designed cathodic protection systems with deep well design for tower facilities
- Remaining Life Modeling and Estimation for Underground Assets
- Monopole Fatigue, Fatigue Sensor and Fatigue Mitigation
- Why stray current is an important issue in corrosion and How to detect it?
- Corrosion Engineering Training
Our condition assessment considers:
- Atmospheric Corrosion
- Ground Level
- Shallow Burials
- Deep Burials due to low pH (not considered by many)
- Concrete Degradation
- Coating Degradation
- Stray Current Corrosion
- Copper Grounding
Physical inspections and UV thickness measurements are performed to determine steel member thickness using Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge. The towers are checked at the ground level and at any location that appears questionable with a three-point check that covers the leg and the braces on either side of it Coating thickness is also checked at these points using an Elcometer 456 Coating Thickness Gauge. ASTM A-123A is referenced for coating thickness requirements. Galvanized Thickness and protective organic coatings are measured as well.
Concrete foundations and anchoring hardware are visually checked for wear and damage.Concrete hardness tests are performed using Digital Concrete Test Hammer. Two hardness measurements are taken per foundation corner – one set of four readings on the top of the foundation (vertical reading) and one set of four readings on the side (horizontal reading).
MATERGENICS provides corrosion inspection/monitoring services, and corrosion risk assessment for different types of telecom structures including:
- Guyed-wire towers,
- Self-supporting towers,
- Tapered steel monopols.
unique services
Team Matergenics is able to provide many unique services to assess the corrosion risk and to determine the remaining life of towers and anchors.
Condition Assessment By Climbing Inspection
Inspection Overview and Procedures
The overall condition of the tower structural members, climbing facilities, fasteners, and other components are evaluated as outlined in this section. Visual and physical checks are performed to ensure that the tower and subsystems are structurally sound and functional.
Tower load bearing members, conduits, ladders, stairways. fasteners, and all load bering primary and secondary members will be checked, documented and severity of corrosion will be reported by our experienced climbers and NACE certified corrosion engineers. Corrosion mitigation: coating selection, surface preparation and application of coating per SSPC and NACE specifications will be provided for the Client’s review.
Physical inspections and UV thickness measurements are performed to determine steel member thickness using Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge. All corners of the towers are checked at the ground level and at any location that appears questionable with a three-point check that covers the leg and the braces on either side of it Coating thickness is also checked at these points using an Elcometer 456 Coating Thickness Gauge. ASTM A-123A is referenced for coating thickness requirements. Galvanized Thickness and protective organic coatings are measured as well.
Concrete foundations and anchoring hardware are visually checked for wear and damage.Concrete hardness tests are performed using Digital Concrete Test Hammer. Two hardness measurements are taken per foundation corner – one set of four readings on the top of the foundation (vertical reading) and one set of four readings on the side (horizontal reading).
early detection
If corrosion is not detected and mitigated at its early stages, shortly it will lead to expensive refurbishment of corroded members
Inspection Stages
Matergenics’ corrosion inspection for telecom structure, involves four different stages:
DESK STUDY
Prior to site visits and field measurements, based on the project requirements, a desk study must performed to complete the following tasks:
- Review of geotechnical reports,
- Review of structural drawings,
- Review of previous reports on corrosion inspection, maintenance/repair, and all other relevant information including service history.
FIELD STUDY
Our NACE certified inspectors collect the key corrosion indicator data at tower base and anchor footings, and perform site-specific tests to characterize the service environment, including:
- Soil-to-structure electrochemical potential mapping,
- Soil resistivity tests (ASTM G57 and ASTM G187),
- Soil pH tests,
- Cathodic protection current requirement tests,
- Visual inspection of underground members,
- Coating inspection and dimensional measurements,
- Concrete inspection and hardness test (ASTM C805),
- Photographic documentation of all tests.
LABORATORY INVESTIGATION
Collected samples during site visits must be examined in a controlled environment to identify:
- Soil contamination concentration,
- Microbiologically induced corrosion,
- Root cause determination.
DOCUMENTATION & REPORTING
All inspection findings and recommendations are included in a comprehensive report, that includes:
- Corrosion risk factor (CRF) for individual structures,
- Recommend corrosion mitigation methods such as cathodic protection,
- Remedial actions,
Engineering analysis and repair recommendations.
“Great effort, and response was excellent. Our management was impressed.”
Cathodic Protection
Matergenics is able to design, install, test, and monitor cathodic protection systems that prevent any further corrosion and extend the life of buried assets for at least 15 years. Compared to oil and gas industry, the tower industry as a whole is behind on implementation of CP method of extending in-service life of the assets. The oil and gas pipeline industry has been using this method successfully for many years to prevent failures and reduce inspection and maintenance costs.
PhD-level NACE-certified engineers in Matergenics have developed an advance simulation tool to design best-in-class anode bed designs for optimum protection of tower foundation regardless of structural materials and designs.
Matergenics offers a wide array of services to control corrosion and protect again assets including underground pipelines, poles, latticed towers, grillage, anchor rods, substation equipment, and more! We have obtained a position of considerable prominence in the cathodic protection computerized design and wireless monitoring of CP installations.
We design and Install Cathodic Protection Systems for Tel-communication Towers Based on Corrosion Engineering Principles and By NACE Certified Technical Personnel.
We understand budget limitations and can provide options to fit your budget if you wish.
experts in our field
Matergenics’ engineers and technicians are NACE certified experts in material selection, application, and inspection of coating system
Coating Selection for Atmospheric, Ground Level and Underground Zones
not all coatings are created equally. Matergenics has several coating experts that are equipped to test and analyze coating quality based on common coating failure modes.
Proper coating system and Adequate surface preparation per SSPC and NACE standards are extremely important for atmospheric high elevation zones of the telecom tower. To improve the protection level at foundations of telecommunication structures, Matergenics recommends partial coating application along with CP system installation. This results in improved protection at both deep and shallow burials, also extends the lifespan of anodes. Answers to the following questions are keys for a successful coating application:
- Coating material – was the coating material suitable for the service environment and the substrate?
- Surface preparation – was the surface properly prepared to allow for coating adhesion?
- Application – was the coating applied using proper technique at the correct thickness?
- Formulation – were the drying and curing specifications followed?
- Mechanical damage – is the coating susceptible to damage backfilling
- Cathodic protection shielding – is the coating compatible with cathodic protection?
ASTM, SSPC, and NACE test procedures are followed to assure that the selected coating will survive and protect the structure as intended. These tests include:
- Accelerated paint exposure
- Salt spray
- UV light exposure
- Tensile and flexural tests
- Cross section microscopy
Considering our expertise, Matergenics is the only company that can select coatings that work with cathodic protection systems to guarantee maximum protection to extend the life of any structure.
