1910's "weathering" steel?
1910's "weathering" steel?
(OP)
I just toured an old foundry built around 1911 in the midwest. It is riveted steel frames supporting a tectum type roof. The structure has been many things over many years including abandoned and a paper mill. The roof leaks all over the place. Based on everything I know about existing industrial structures, this steel should be in rough shape with severe corrosion and section loss. However, while there may be a bit of "mill scale" on the surface, the steel looks better than some new steel I have seen laying in puddles on job sites. Even columns that have been hit by equipment over the years do not show any amount additional corrosion. Does anyone know of a weathering steel from that era? I know COR-TEN did not show up until the 50's or 60's.






RE: 1910's "weathering" steel?
It may be that you just have a lot of surface scaling but with not enough moisture present to significantly form an oxidation process.
RE: 1910's "weathering" steel?
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RE: 1910's "weathering" steel?
Michael.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
RE: 1910's "weathering" steel?
http://preservapedia.org/Weathering_steel
Garth Dreger PE - AZ Phoenix area
As EOR's we should take the responsibility to design our structures to support the components we allow in our design per that industry standards.
RE: 1910's "weathering" steel?
RE: 1910's "weathering" steel?
RE: 1910's "weathering" steel?
RE: 1910's "weathering" steel?
Michael.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
RE: 1910's "weathering" steel?
RE: 1910's "weathering" steel?
RE: 1910's "weathering" steel?
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Perhaps something in the structure has advertently or in-advertently served as a sacrificial anode?
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Perhaps the original 1911 Roof was Wood-Tar Paper-Tar (See any pictures of an old Detriot Studebaker plant with it's roof caved in...) and at some stage was replaced/repaired with the Metal you are seeing.
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Perhaps the processes inside the structure caused oil-based products to become airborn/evaporate and then condense/deposit on the ceiling...thus preserving it in this unusual way.
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Perhaps the metal was high in Nickel? (back in those days ..Vern didn't have to be as precise as our Metalugists now insist.)
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I like the Cast Iron comment above as well. I think that the fasteners will provide the best clues to date the install/type of product used.
RE: 1910's "weathering" steel?
Michael.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
RE: 1910's "weathering" steel?
Though I do like the theory of airborne hydrocarbons. It sound feasible.
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