Corrosion and the protection against it
What is corrosion and why is it so important to protect car parks and underground garages from it?
Corrosion in multi-storey and underground car parks refers to the process by which the metal parts of a building, e.g. steel beams, are destroyed by chemical reactions. More specifically, this is known as pitting corrosion, which usually occurs under the effect of the environment. Mechanical stress caused by vehicles can also damage car park surfaces. Substances such as water, de-icing salt, chemicals etc. can penetrate the reinforcement through fine cracks or bursts in the concrete, destroying it and jeopardising the building structurally.
In the case of corrosion, a metal reacts with its environment, in particular with oxygen and water, and is chemically altered as a result. This process leads to the progressive destruction of the metal and the formation of a porous, yellowish to reddish compound – iron oxide – i.e. rust.
Corrosion protection involves protecting materials, components and equipment against corrosion in order to prevent or minimise damage. The protection of iron and steel in particular is also known as rust protection.
Here are some specific examples of factors that promote corrosion in car parks and underground garages:
Moisture and water:
In multi-storey and underground car parks, moisture often accumulates from rain, snow or condensation. Permanent exposure to it can cause metal parts such as steel beams to rust and structural damage to occur.
Frost and change of freeze/thaw periods
When moisture freezes inside the pores of the concrete, the water expands and can lead to spalling or cracking. Alternating frost and dew will intensify this effect on unprotected concrete surfaces, further exacerbating the damage.
Salts and chemicals:
Road salt and other chemical de-icing agents, which are used to maintain road safety, are brought into the car park or underground parking garage through constant vehicle traffic. They attack the surface of unprotected concrete and reinforced steel structures.
Air humidity and chemical vapours:
The combination of high air humidity and pollution from vehicle exhaust can also contribute to corrosion, especially in areas with limited air circulation.
Corrosion can compromise the structural integrity of car parks and underground garages, leading to serious safety issues. It is therefore important to provide appropriate corrosion protection depending on the expected use of the surface to prolong the life of the building and ensure safety.
What can be done to protect against corrosion?
Effective corrosion protection is essential to ensure the longevity and safety of car park structures. A distinction is made between combined (e.g. regular maintenance and inspection), active (e.g. cathodic protection) and passive measures: these include among others surface protection coatings (anti-corrosion coatings) as a “protective layer” that prevent the penetration of moisture and harmful substances.
What is a corrosion protection coating?
Overall, reactive resin coatings are an effective and reliable corrosion protection measure for multi-storey and underground car parks, protecting steel safely and permanently against rust. They also provide a seamless, easy-to-clean surface that is ideal for the diverse needs of such a highly frequented environment.
Surface protection systems have to meet manifold requirements for different areas of application, e.g. crack-bridging properties for substrates with an increased risk of cracking or resistance to weather influences in outdoor areas.
Which coating should be used for floors and walls?
There are OS systems for floors and walls that have been specially developed to protect the building in different settings. Find out more about the tested KLB surface protection systems for car parks and compare them with each other:
To the system comparison
There are comprehensive rules for the use of reactive resin coatings for protecting surfaces in car parks:
Technical Rule for the maintenance of concrete buildings
The Technical Rule for the maintenance of concrete buildings (TR maintenance directive) is valid in accordance with the DAfStb guidelines “Protection and maintenance of concrete components” from the “German Institute for Building Technology” (DIBt).
This sets out the principles and procedures for the maintenance of buildings, including the requirements for mechanical strength and structural stability (Part 1) as well as the required performance characteristics of products or systems used for the repair of concrete structures in order to maintain or restore their load-bearing capacity and serviceability (Part 2).
All KLB coating systems for multi-storey and underground car parks fulfil the requirements of the new TR maintenance directive. We offer you customised solutions for a wide range of applications, including underground garages, weather-exposed parking decks, ramps or spindles. Our tested surface protection coatings for both refurbishment and new constructions comply with the standards of TR maintenance based on OS 5b, OS 8, OS 11a/b and OS 14.
Our parking brochure gives you a comprehensive summary and overview of the characteristics and application areas of our surface protection systems:
Discover all KLB surface protection systems:
System K1
KLB PARKING EP OS 8
Rigid and robust surface protection system as standard coating for acccessible interior garages or car parks subject to heavy mechanical loads
System K2
KLB PARKING PU OS 11a
Elastic, dynamically crack-bridging surface protection system for indoor and outdoor areas (up to -20 °C / -4 °F), with each a floating and wearing layer (“two-layered”), colour and light-stable
System K3
KLB PARKING PU OS 11b
Elastic, dynamically crack-bridging surface protection system for indoor areas (up to -20 °C / -4 °F), with a combination of wearing and waterproofing layer (“one-layered”)
System K4
KLB PARKING PU OS 14
Elastic surface protection system with increased dynamic crack-bridging for the interior and exterior, colour and light-stable
System K5
KLB PARKING EP OS 8 Economic
Rigid, two-layered and economic surface protection system for interior areas subject to heavy mechanical loads
System K6
KLB PARKING PU OS 8 Flex
Flexibilised, statically crack-bridging surface protection system (0.5 mm at -10 °C / 14 °F)
System K7
KLB PARKING EP OS 8 Flex
Water vapour-permeable, flexibilised and statically crack-bridging surface protection system (0.6 mm at -10 °C / 14 °F)
System K8
KLB PARKING OS 5b Wall
Elastified, statically and dynamically crack-bridging surface protection system for walls and plinths with special requirements on protecting the building fabric
Register now!
You are just a few clicks away from staying up to date with us.
Never miss out on new products or systems again and receive the latest references or important company information directly and at any time in your inbox.
More news in this category
We would like to thank you for the trust you have placed in us 2024. We very much appreciate your partnership and the experiences we shared. It has been a pleasure to work with you...
KLB Kötztal has become a member of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). As an installer, architect, planner or building owner, KLB Kötztal’s membership gives you a c...
All chemical reactions are temperature-dependent; high temperatures lead to an acceleration of the reaction, whereas low temperatures can cause a significant delay in the reaction ...
There are only a few weeks left until Christmas and the year is drawing to a close. Here you will find an overview of deliveries before and after the holidays in 2024 and 2025. Our...
Mozilla Firefox
Microsoft Edge
Google Chrome