ABCDE

www.international-pc.com


Page 1
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

Introduction

Like many industrial sectors, the Protective Coatings Industry has standardisation associated
with it

Standardisation is required in order to ensure best practice and a specified level of quality is
achieved

When it comes to the issue of corrosion protection via the use of protective coatings, it is fair
to say that most regions or countries of the world may have their own standardisation &
quality requirements that needs to be adhered to

Where countries dont have their own, they tend to borrow from the more recognised
standards such as those provided by SSPC, NACE, DIN or BS

In addition, some customers, such as those associated with oil & gas, will adopt these
standards and use them as a framework in developing their own internal standardisation &
quality requirements

From an IPC point of view, trying to satisfy all the requirements of the many individual,
regional and local standards currently in place is an impossible task, and only makes the
implementation of a global strategy and product range even more complex

It is important that IP as a truly global company should direct its focus on a truly global
coatings standard and by that we mean those standards developed by ISO

ISO = International Standards Organisation (www.iso.org) it is based in Switzerland and is
responsible for the standardisation and documentation of numerous procedures and testing
regimes

The use of ISO standards fits well with IPC global strategy and allows us to put more focus on
adopting and promoting the principles on a truly international stage

ISO standards are available worldwide and in many different languages much like our own
global product range associated literature such as datasheets & brochures etc

This module focuses upon the ISO 12944 international standard which covers corrosion
protection of steel structures by protective paint systems






ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 2
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

ISO 12944 What is it?

In the mid 1990s the coatings industry & corrosion experts from all over the world came
together to form a committee to look into the standardisation of corrosion control at new
construction

After years of work, the result was the standard ISO 12944 Corrosion Protection of Steel
Structures by Protective Paint Systems

ISO 12944 comprises of 8 parts which deals with all the aspects that are important in
achieving adequate corrosion protection of steel structures when using protective coatings at
new construction

ISO 12944 Who uses it?

The standard is intended to be used by structure owners, engineers, consultants, fabricators,
applicators and corrosion inspectors who have some knowledge of corrosion to assist in
adopting best practice in corrosion mitigation via the use of protective coatings

Utilising ISO 12944 at the new construction stage will help to minimise the need for coating
maintenance which in turn helps to reduce health & safety concerns, environmental impact
and overall structure lifetime costs

Another key benefit of using ISO 12944 is that it can help to standardise the terminology and
definitions used within the coatings industry

This in turn helps to avoid misunderstanding of information which passes between the many
different parties involved in a new construction project

Everybody is talking the same language

When considering the complex sales chain involved in certain PC projects, the use of ISO
12944 throughout the chain can help to reduce complexity and provide unambiguous and
easily understandable communications in which all parties can relate to

A common language amongst all those involved in the sales chain

ISO 12944 was released in 1998 and it has rapidly replaced local standards in Europe e.g.
BS5493 and DIN55 928

It has also been adopted where no strong local standards are in place


ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 3
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

Within the Americas and Australasia where NACE/SSPC and AS/NZ standards are well
established respectively, the switch to ISO 12944 is less advanced, however it is growing in
popularity in these areas

A large section of our potential customers will not be aware of ISO12944, it is everybodys
responsibility to take the lead and introduce it

Many engineers prefer dealing with ISO - it is an independent, internationally recognised
organization

By promoting ISO 12944 within the market, International Protective Coatings can be seen as
global, proactive in the industry, willing to accept impartial standards and taking a responsible
approach to coating specification

ISO 12944 The concept

In the broadest terms, ISO12944 makes use of 3 parameters when dealing with the corrosion
protection of steel structures at New Construction

Durability - The expected lifetime of a protective coating system prior to the first MAJOR
maintenance. It is assumed that regular coating inspection and minor maintenance will always
be required throughout the structure design life

Corrosivity The ability of an environment to cause corrosion, (taking into consideration any
special conditions which may affect the performance of a protective coating system)

Coating System Specification The recommended coating system generic type which will
provide the necessary corrosion protection to meet the both the durability and corrosivity
demands. (this includes surface preparation)

The development of the ISO 12944 standard has had a significant impact on the protective
coatings industry since its release from both the perspective of the customer be that an
engineer, architect, fabricator, applicator and the coating manufacturer

Anybody who is involved with the provision of advice within the protective coatings industry
should have a level of understanding of what ISO 12944 is all about

This module summarizes IPs viewpoint, however, it is not a substitute to actually reviewing
the standard itself.

It is recommended that you read the actual ISO 12944 standard in conjunction with this
module


ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 4
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

ISO 12944 The Parts

As already mentioned, ISO 12944 covers all aspects of protective coatings and consists of 8
parts, these are















ISO 12944 Part 1 General Introduction

ISO 12944 Part 1 describes the general scope of the entire standard and makes an early
reference to protective functions that are not covered

These are functions such as anti-fouling (e.g. Intersleek), storage of chemicals and ballast
(e.g. Interline, Intershield), and fireprotection (e.g. Chartek & Interchar)

Although not mentioned specifically, the ISO 12944 standard does not cover high heat areas
(e.g. Intertherm)

The specification of coating schemes involving Interline, Chartek, Intersleek & Intertherm
are highly specialised

Therefore they require more detailed information, guidance and testing to ensure successful
use
This detail can be difficult to capture in a standard such as ISO 12944 which covers
such as broad range of corrosion protection issues

The key element of part 1 revolves around the definition of the term Durability and the
expected lifetime of a protective coating system

Within ISO 12944, durability is expressed in terms of 3 ranges, Low, Medium & High

Part Description
1 General Introduction
2 Classification of Environments
3 Design Considerations
4 Surface Preparation
5 Protective Paint Systems
6 Laboratory Test Methods
7 Execution / Supervision of Paint Work
8 Development of Specifications

ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 5
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG


An alternative way of describing durability is in terms of coating design life. Many
engineers, who will use ISO 12944, can better relate to the term design life. In many cases it
is what they are trained to understand

Low (L) 2 to 5 years
Medium (M) 5 to 15 years
High (H) >15 years

When talking about coating durability or coating design life, there are some important
considerations that must be taken into account. These are :-

The coating design life is dependent upon the degree of surface preparation. In most
cases it is assumed that a minimum of Sa2 cleanliness (~SSPC SP6) is achieved
prior to coating application

The design life of the coating system is generally shorter than the expected design life
of the structure it is protecting. Design life is best described as the level of coating
failure (or breakdown) prior to the first MAJOR coating maintenance work is required

As such, due consideration must be made to ensure regular coating inspection and
expected minor maintenance is carried out over the specified design life

The definition of MAJOR maintenance should be agreed by all interested parties in
accordance with the standardised degradation of paint coatings described in ISO 4628 parts
1,2,3,4 & 5

Coating design life is not a guarantee time; therefore, ISO12944 offers a standard method
of avoiding lengthy and unrealistic lifetime guarantees whilst still offering a meaningful
coating design life. This all adds up to helping IPC manage liability from a commercial point of
view

Most IPC customers will focus their attention towards the high durability >15 year
design life. In most cases, customers will require coating systems applied at new
construction to last as long as possible in order to postpone the need for inconvenient major
maintenance work

Durability (or coating design life) only refers to corrosion protection. This should not be
confused with durability in terms of colour & gloss retention of high performance finishes.
There will potentially be the need for aesthetic upgrades

ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 6
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

The use of high performance finishes such as the polysiloxane products (Interfine 878 &
Interfine 979) can help to reduce the number of cosmetic upgrades that are required during
the lifetime of a structure. This contributes to lowering overall structure lifetime costs


ISO 12944 Part 2 Classification of Environments

This was briefly covered in the Environment technical module; however, we will go into a
little more detail

The key feature of part 2 is that it provides a way of defining environments in terms of
corrosivity in which steel structures are situated
These environments are known as Corrosive Categories

This provides a very useful tool when considering an appropriate coating specification in
other words, its a very good starting point

Understanding corrosive categories and environments helps to understand WHY & HOW
certain coating products are used to prevent corrosion

ISO 12944 Part 2 splits the environments into 3 main groups, they are atmospheric,
immersion in water and buried in soil

Atmospheric

The atmospheric environments are classified into 6 corrosive categories defined from weight
loss of metallic (low carbon steel and zinc) specimens over a defined period of 1 year

The table on the next slide defines the corrosive categories in terms of steel mass loss and
gives examples of typical exterior and interior environments

In simplistic terms, as the steel mass loss increases, the corrosion rate increases, therefore
the greater the atmospheric corrosivity

Categories are designated as C1, C2.through to C5-I industrial and C5-M offshore









ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 7
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

Corrosive
Category
Mass Loss / thickness
loss
Exterior Environment
Examples
Interior Environment
Examples
C1, C2
Very Low,
Low
<10-200 g/m2
(1.3-25m)
Rural / dry areas, low
pollution
Heated / unheated
buildings / Neutral
atmospheres
C3
Medium
200-400 g/m2
(25-50m)
Urban & industrial
atmospheres,
moderate S02
pollution. Coastal
areas with low salinity
Production rooms with high
humidity and some air
pollution e.g. food
processing plants,
breweries
C4
High
400-650g/m2
(50-80m)
Industrial areas and
coastal areas with
moderate salinity
Chemical plants, swimming
pools, coastal ship and
boatyards.
C5-I
(Industrial)
Very High
650-1500g/m2
(80-200m)
Industrial areas with
high humidity and
aggressive
atmosphere
Buildings or areas with
almost permanent
condensation / high
pollution
C5-M
(Marine)
Very High
650-1500g/m2
(80-200m)
Coastal and offshore
areas
Buildings or areas with
almost permanent
condensation / high
pollution

C5-I category refers to atmospheric industrial areas where corrosivity is high due to the
presence of aggressive chemicals and/or airborne pollution (e.g. acids, alkalis, sulphur
dioxide etc) combined with high humidity

C5-M category refers to atmospheric offshore areas where the corrosivity level is similar to
C5-I, however, this is brought about by a combination of high salinity (salt) and humidity
rather than chemical pollution

This difference between C5-I and C5-M is important when considering suitable coating
systems to provide corrosion protection

There are coating systems that are suitable for C5-M but would not be recommended for C5-I

Immersed in Water

ISO 12944 Part 2 splits the immersion in water into 2 categories as shown in the table below.
In this case, steel metal loss can be a difficult thing to measure and therefore to define.
Therefore only typical example environments are given



ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 8
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

Category Environment Examples
Im 1 Fresh Water
Immersion
River installations, hydro-electric power plants
Im 2 Sea or Brackish Water
Immersion
Harbour areas with structures like sluice gates, locks,
jetties, offshore structures

Categories for immersion can be further divided into the following three zones

These zones are those which we refer to when talking about severe environment. It is the
Interzone product range which are utilised in these areas

Zone Description
Underwater Area permanently immersed in water (Sub-sea)
Intermediate Are subjected to both immersion and atmospheric exposure (also known
as Tidal Zone)
Splashzone Area wetted by wave action. Gives rise to very high corrosion rates


Buried in soil

Similar to the immersion category, steel metal loss can be difficult thing to measure and
therefore to define. So once again, only typical example environments are given

Category Environment Examples
Im 3 Soil (Buried) Buried tanks, steel piles, steel pipes



ISO 12944 Part 2 Design Considerations

Part 3 focuses upon how the overall shape and design of a given structure can have a
significant influence on its susceptibility to corrosion problems

Ideally part 3 should be reviewed by engineers and architects and all those involved at the
initial design stage and not when the project is up and running

ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 9
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

This part can only really be fully implemented at the new construction stage or by major
structural modification later in the structure lifetime

Examples of suitable and unsuitable designs are reviewed looking at areas such as
accessibility, treatment of gaps, water traps, edges, welding imperfections, bolted connections
and stiffeners etc. The careful consideration of structural design will contribute towards
extended coating design life

It is fair to say that this part of ISO 12944 is outside the scope of protective coatings
manufacturers such as IPC

However, working alongside the designer/architect and highlighting design issues is an
important aspect of correct coating specification

There could be the situation whereby the customer will expect the coating products to
alleviate, or help alleviate, corrosion problems due to design errors

Examples of this are the thick film edge retentive coatings where they are relied upon to give
good coverage over sharp edges

Whilst there are many good products out there, there is no real substitute for good rounded
edges and correct repair of substrate defects prior to coating application


ISO 12944 Part 4 Surface Preparation

Surface preparation has already been covered in detail in the surface preparation modules

Therefore there is no need to go into detail here

Suffice to say that part 4 gives a very comprehensive guide into the types of surface and the
many aspects of surface preparation and the importance of it

ISO 12944 Part 4 is a very good reference document and provides a very thorough list of ISO
surface preparation standards


ISO 12944 Part 5 Protective Paint Systems

A basic way of viewing ISO 12944 as a whole is as a tool for providing the customer with a
solution to their anticipated structural steel corrosion problems


ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 10
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

This means supplying an adequate protective coating system that will meet both the durability
and corrosive category requirements

The basic three steps to doing this at new construction are listed below

1. Use ISO 12944 part 2 to select the appropriate corrosive category (C2,C4,C5-M etc) in
which the steel structure will be located, i.e. the service environment

2. Decide on the design life (durability) requirements of the protective coating system, i.e.
Low, Medium or High see ISO 12944 Part 1


3. Having done 1 and 2 above, you are now in a position to utilize ISO 12944 Part 5 in
choosing the most effective coating system to meet the needs of corrosive category
and design life

Part 5 provides a comprehensive list of generic coating systems that have proven
performance in the corrosive categories described. These are presented in a series of tables

An important aspect of part 5 is the following technical considerations

Suitable, proven generic coating types are listed against all corrosive categories. For
example, zinc rich primers figure frequently in the more corrosive C4 & C5
environments, whereas they do not in the less corrosive C3

Coating system design life (or durability) is satisfied via dry film thickness (dft)

The general rule followed is that for a given coating system, an increase in design life
is satisfied via an incremental increase in dft

However, this does not mean carte blanche on film thickness there are maximum
acceptable limits for each IPC product which must be adhered to

Selecting coating specifications that comply with ISO 12944 part 5 provides the customer
with:-

Confidence that the corrosion protection will meet the demands of the corrosive
category and intended design life
An objective approach to coating selection
A simplified matrix of proven coating systems to chose from
A meaningful coating design life
A globally accepted standard


ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 11
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

It is good practice for all involved in specifying protective coatings to review part 5 and get an
understanding of the approach used by ISO 12944 with regards to how coating specifications
are put together

The technical considerations within ISO 12944 Part 5 in terms of corrosive category,
durability, individual product dry film thickness range and product compatibility form the basis
of the technical checks contained within Interspec

By Utilising Interspec you are automatically taking advantage of ISO 12944

However, it is important to appreciate that Interspec (and therefore ISO 12944) is not 100%
foolproof

There is still the requirement that the specifier (or user of Interspec) has knowledge of IPC
products

Care should always be taken to ensure that the IPC coating system specified is suitable for
use

What ISO 12944 will not do is protect us from claims due to poor coating specification

The use of part 5 is very much at the heart of what ISO 12944 is all about.
ISO 12944 is essentially a specifying tool

Primer Definitions

Another important feature of ISO 12944 part 5 is the primer definitions

In this case, a zinc rich primer is defined as one which a minimum of 80% zinc dust pigment
content by mass in the dry film

Hopefully, this may help to bring some clarity into the protective coatings industry with regards
to what is considered a zinc rich primer

All IPC global Interzinc zinc rich primers meet this definition (e.g. Interzinc 52, 22,22HS,315
etc)

Dry film thickness (dft)

The dfts quoted in part 5 are in multiples of 40m, IPC tend to work in multiples of 25m
(25m = 1 mil)


ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 12
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

Slight modifications to the way Interspec utilises ISO 12944 have been made to
accommodate this

Recommended maximum dfts per coat are x3 that specified, this in many cases is too high
and is not necessarily in agreement with IPC philosophy

The maximum dft per coat for a given product should always be verified via the technical
department. A good guide is x2 that specified


ISO 12944 Part 6 Laboratory Test Methods

The idea behind part 6 is to provide some meaningful laboratory test methods and pass
criteria for those coating systems where there is no realistic proven real-time performance
data (or track record) in the specific corrosive category

As such it is intended that the results of the tests are considered as an aid in the selection of
suitable coating systems for the specified corrosive category and design life (durability)

Consider part 6 as being fitness for purpose testing (see Product Testing module)

The laboratory tests specified within ISO 12944 Part 6 are only concerned with anti-corrosive
performance

There is no reference to mechanical performance such as impact, abrasion or flexibility etc

From a customer perspective, if there is no track record, then the next logical step is to for
laboratory test data to back-up the performance claims from the coating manufacturer

Therefore, part 6 becomes a central consideration the customer (be that an owner, engineer
or specifier), must take into account when choosing a suitable new protective coating system
where track record is not available

However, there is a slight issue

Since the release of the ISO 12944 standard in 1998, Part 6 has been a real focus of
attention due to the divided opinion within the industry (both customers and coating
manufacturers) on whether the test methods described are acceptable

It has been IPCs position that the test methods as they currently stand are NOT
ACCEPTABLE



ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 13
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

The lack of acceptance of part 6 has revolved around the fact that some coating users,
consider the tests as being out of touch with current industry practices

They do not include the latest in cyclic corrosion testing

They do not include product identification or fingerprinting

In particular, the tests specified within Part 6 do not reflect current industry practices for
the more aggressive C5-M and Im2 corrosive categories.

This lack of acceptance has resulted in the following:-

1. The laboratory performance test requirements for offshore C5-M & Im2 protective
coating systems was revisited and dealt with via a dedicated performance based
standard outside of ISO 12944 part 6, the result was the development of ISO 20340
(see Performance Specifications module)

2. An ISO working group committee was assembled to review and update ISO 12944 part
6 and include cyclic corrosion test methods and product fingerprinting.

3. At the time of writing, this revision of Part 6 is perhaps some way from being formerly
released. It may be that the earliest release will be towards the end of 2006



ISO 12944 Part 7 Execution & Supervision of Paint Work

This part of ISO 12944 deals with the execution and supervision of coating work on steel
structures whether it is in a workshop, a yard or on site

As such, the intended audience for this part are the companies who are contracted with the
actual coating application. (e.g. paint contractors, fabricators, OEM etc)

The objective of part 7 is to ensure that a minimum level of quality is achieved at the coating
application stage

This is very important due to the fact that the owner of the steel structure may have a
different view of expected quality compared to that of the coating contractor

By using part 7 as a guideline, all parties involved can agree on the minimum that is required




ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 14
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

Part 7 focuses on 4 key elements

1. Preconditions - This covers subjects such as quality personnel requirements and
workmanship, conditions of the substrate, health & safety issues, coating material
supply and storage

2. Execution of coating work - Areas such as coating condition prior to application, agreed
methods for dry film thickness measurement, stripe coating requirements, application
conditions and methods are covered here

3. Supervision of the coating work - This covers the all important supervision or
inspection of the coating work

The level of supervision will normally be determined by the importance of the
structure or asset in question and may involve the need for a NACE or FROSIO
accredited coatings inspector
The function of the supervisor or inspector is to ensure that the protective coating
complies with the project specification
It is generally the structure owner or engineer who will drive the need for
supervision and inspection

4. Coating reference areas - This covers a very useful way of establishing a minimum
level of quality that is to be achieved during a coatings application project. They may
also be used for guarantee purposes

The following comments can be said regarding reference areas:-

They should be located in representative areas which are typical of the corrosive
categories in which the entire structure is exposed

All surface preparation and coating application work should be supervised by all
interested parties (including IPC) and reach agreement on the level of quality that
needs to be achieved

It is intended that the agreed level of quality achieved in the reference areas should be
reproduced over the entire structure being coated

All work carried out in reference areas should be fully documented

IPC utilise the concept of coating reference areas within some standard guarantees


ABCDE
www.international-pc.com


Page 15
Release Date:31-Dec-05
Ref:

ISO 12944
Module 7
DEFG

Where there is a case of premature coating breakdown on a structure, the coating supplier
may be liable if the breakdown also occurs within the allocated reference areas since this
could indicate a coating problem rather than a surface preparation one

However, if the coating breakdown is not replicated within the reference areas, this could
indicate failure due to a poorly prepared surface or improper application of the coating
system. In such an instance, it is the applicator that may be liable

This helps to manage liability from a commercial aspect

ISO 12944 Part 7 does provide some guidance on the recommended size and number of
reference areas on a particular structure. Some examples are shown in the table below

Structure size m2
(painted area)
Recommended
maximum number
of reference areas
Recommended maximum total area of
reference areas
Upto 2,000 3 12m
2
Above 5,000 to
10,000
7 50 m
2

Above 10,000 to
25,000
7 75 m
2

Above 50,000 9 200 m
2



ISO 12944 Part 8 Development of Specifications

Part 8 of ISO 12944 is targeted at the coating specifier, or anyone who has responsibility for
the development of a specification, be that an entire project specification or a more focused
protective coating specification

Part 8 provides a framework in which parts 1 to 7 of ISO 12944 are utilised in the
development of a new construction specification

It does so by providing examples of checklists and flowcharts in which all the relevant
parameters are taken into consideration for both new work and maintenance

For the IP salesperson, part 8, as with parts 3 and 7, is a good reference document

The tables within part 8 can provide some of the basic technical questions that need to be
asked prior to offering a coating specification to the customer