In the construction industry, galvanized steel stands out for its unique toughness and cohesion, but also abrasion resistence, which means less site damage and speedy erection of structures. Find out more about the unique properties of galvanized steel.
Cohesion
Unlike most coatings, which rely solely on preparation of the steel to obtain adhesion, hot dip galvanizing produces a coating bonded metallurgically to the steel. In other words, the iron and zinc react together to form a series of alloys which make the coating an integral part of the steel surface with excellent cohesion.
Toughness
Resistance to mechanical damage of protective coatings during handling, storage, transport and erection is very important if the cost of ‘touching up’ on site is to be avoided. The outer layer of pure zinc is relatively soft and absorbs much of the shock of an initial impact during handling. The alloy layers beneath are much harder, sometimes even harder than the base steel itself. This combination provides a tough and abrasion resistant coating.
Micro-section of hot dip galvanised coating. The zinc-iron alloys are harder than the base steel
