ABSTRACT
When the plant building was constructed initially, coal tar epoxy had been used as a surface coating to concrete between ground level and the plinth level. The steel reinforcement behind concrete protected by coal tar epoxy was seen to be unaffected by corrosion, which thus indicated the protective potential of the coating layer. The critical factors to be considered for selecting a suitable protective coating, are the binder system used and the dry film thickness obtained in addition to other parameters like flexibility, adhesion, abrasion and chemical resistance (10). Further, a barrier coating should withstand swelling, dissolving, cracking and embrittlement when exposed to chemicals. Keeping these factors in view, specifications of the commonly available protective systems were studied and a suitable coal tar epoxy system was recommended for protection of the concrete surfaces.
