Case 1

Introduction

Degradation of Coating

Type of Building: Commercial Building

Corrosion of metal panels though not a structural defect, it may affect the performance and durability of the panel components. Corrosion is defined as the destruction or deterioration of a material because of reaction with its environment or by other means other than mechanical action. Metals used in facades are usually protected against corrosion by coating. However, they are still susceptible to corrosion once the coating is damaged to expose the base metal. Corrosion of a small localised area may ultimately spread to a much larger area.

Other than aluminium and steel, bronze and copper have also been widely used as cladding materials.

Aluminium cladding has overtaken steel in terms of popularity due to its strong, light, stable and adaptive qualities. With the right finish, aluminium will retain its appearance for many years, even with little maintenance. Aluminium can be finished by a number of methods, for example, through the addition of a hard-wearing fluorocarbon coat (PVDF) or by anodising — a process whereby a hard patina that prevents further deterioration of the surface is produced.

For more details of different metals used on facade, see: Material Manual > Facade > Cladding > Infill Panels