[TowerTalk] Core Ten

Bob Perring perring@texas.net
Mon, 23 Mar 1998 18:28:52 -0600


At 17:57 3/23/98 -0500, N. S. FIRESTONE wrote:
>United States Steel Company, now USX Corp, put up their HQ building here
>using a new steel product, "Core Ten".  It oxidizes (rusts) a surface
>finish that is supposed to be protective and self healing. 
>Aren't some of the light standards out on the highway/interstate Core
Ten
>material as well?
=============================>
I remember seeing them put some of these light poles up in Pensacola,
FL about 20 years ago.  They rusted up pretty fast, just as they were
supposed to do, but stained the surrounding concrete just it was not
intended/anticipated..

As to the strength of this material, well I don't know, but I guess
someone figured they would hold up large highway lamps.

There was even a pump manufacturer building large vertical mixed flow
pumping units out of this material; the "feature" being a cheaper
approach to corrosion resistance of the fabricated items.

As I understand it, the rusting stops after an initial surface coating,
something like aluminum does. But, also, as I understand it, if the
surface is scratched the corrosion starts again so as to build a new
outside material coating.

73,
N5RP

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