Corrosion Control and Cathodic Protection Systems DX

 

 

Cathodic Protection Requirements for Military Projects

 

ETL 1110-3-474 Engineering and Design, Cathodic Protection, requires both cathodic protection (CP) and coatings, regardless of soil or water resistivity, for the following buried or submerged ferrous metallic structures:

 

·                    Natural gas and propane piping

·                    Liquid fuel piping

·                    Oxygen piping

·                    Underground storage tank (UST) systems

·                    Fire protection piping

·                    Steel water tank interiors

·                    Ductile or cast iron pressurized piping under floor (slab on grade) in soil

·                    Underground heat distribution & chilled water piping in ferrous metallic conduit in soils

·                    Other structures with hazardous products

 

These requirements are essentially the same for both Air Force and Army projects.  All buried ferrous metallic components of these facilities listed shall be coated and cathodically protected even if they are metallic fittings or other metallic components installed in a non-metallic pipeline or as part of a non-metallic tank or other structure.  As a common example, non-metallic fire protection piping is still required to have metallic components, such as post indicator valves (PIV’s), fire hydrants, pressurized metallic piping under the floor slab, tapping valves, change of direction devices, etc., that, in accordance with this ETL, requires both coatings and cathodic protection.

 

Additionally, ETL 1110-3-474 requires that qualified personnel accomplish cathodic protection designs.  As per this ETL, the basic designer qualification requirements are the following:

 

·                    All pre-design surveys, cathodic protection (CP) designs, and acceptance surveys must be performed by a “Corrosion Expert”

·                    “Corrosion Expert” is a NACE Certified Corrosion Specialist, CP Specialist, or registered Professional Corrosion Engineer

·                    “Corrosion Expert” must have a minimum of 5 years experience in CP design and experience must be type specific

 

The designation “Corrosion Expert” is the same term as is used by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST) in the applicable portion of the Code of Federal Regulations.  Minimum design experience is 5 years and for Army designs, must be type specific. 

 

The design of the entire CP system must also be completed prior to construction contract advertisement except for Design-Construct and pre-approved underground heat distribution systems as required by this same ETL.   The CP designer must be knowledgeable of other engineering disciplines as they pertain to the application of cathodic protection and he must coordinate his efforts with those disciplines.

 

 

 

 

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Mobile District Cathodic Protection Specialist can be reached at 251-694-4068 or ENCPSx@sam.usace.army.mil

Page last updated: July 2006