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CROSS Safety Alert

Stainless steel - the risk of failure due to stress corrosion cracking

Region: CROSS-UK Published: 1 October 2005


Overview

Stainless steel provides a wide ranging and vital service to industry, the leisure market and other sectors, stemming from its very specific properties. The characteristics most commonly relied upon are its resistance to corrosion and its appearance, low susceptibility to bacteriological retention and improved fire resistance and ductility compared to carbon steels.

Swimming pool building environments can create very aggressive situations stemming from high temperatures, the number of users and the chemical disinfectants used and this can lead to corrosion and failure of stainless steel components.

Note: this Safety Alert was published by SCOSS (Standing Committee on Structural Safety). Since March 2021, SCOSS is integrated under the name Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures (CROSS).

Who should read this?

Architects and designers, civil and structural engineers, and those who inspect or maintain structures that have stainless steel components in aggressive environments such as swimming pools.

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