A Standard is an established norm or requirement that relates to a technical system for testing, measurement or materials.

• Standards are developed to ensure a common understanding between all involved parties
• Standards may be international, national, state or industry specific
• A Standard is not legally binding until it forms part of a legal document (such as a contract or specification)

Common publishers of standards used by the surface preparation industry:

• ISO: International Organization for Standardization
• IMO: International Maritime Organization
• ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials
• SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings
• AS/NZS: Australian / New Zealand Standards
• NACE: National Association of Corrosion Engineers (USA)

 

The FROSIO Coating Inspectors Course mainly addresses ISO Standards, but coating Inspectors need to be aware of specific standards used in other regions as well.

A typical ISO Standard will include:

• Standard number, title, version or revision/edition number
• Foreword
• Scope: Where the Standard can be applied, where is cannot be applied
• Normative references: Other references or Standards required when using the Standard
• Introduction
• Main text: Definitions/ assessment/ results/ reporting
• pictures
• Annex: Informative, but not required information

Field testing Standards – surface preparation

ISO 8501 – Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and related products.
Visual assessment of surface cleanliness.

• Part 1: new steel
• Part 2: previously coated steel
• Part 3: steel imperfections
• Part 4: water jetting

 

Field testing Standards – surface preparation

ISO 8502 – Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and related products - Tests for assessment of surface cleanliness.

• Part 3: dust
• Part 4: probability of condensation
• Part 6: sampling for soluble salt measurement - Bresle method
• Part 9: conductometric determination of soluble salts

 

ISO 8503 Surface roughness characteristics

• Part 2: surface roughness (comparator)

 

ISO 8504 Surface preparation methods

• Part 2: Abrasive blast-cleaning
• Part 3: Hand- and power-tool cleaning

 

ISO 11127 Test methods for abrasives

• Part 4: Hardness by glass slide test
• Part 6: Water soluble contaminants by conductivity measurement

 

Field testing Standards – painting & coating performance

• ISO 2808 Determination of Film Thickness (WFT & DFT; destructive and non-destructive; ferrous and non-ferrous substrates)
• ISO 19840 Measuring DFT on a rough surface
• ISO 2409 Adhesion (cross cut test)
• ISO 4624 Adhesion (pull off test)
• ISO 29601 Assessment of porosity (low & high voltage discontinuity test)
• ASTM D4752 Curing of IOZ (MEK solvent rub test)
• ISO 4628 Paint failures (rust, blistering, cracking, flaking, chalking)

A simple way to make a coating specification is to refer to published Standards. No reason to re-invent the wheel when referencing a recognised Standard is more powerful than a single “stand alone” specification.

 

Standards widely used in the industry:

• ISO 12944 Part 5
• NORSOK M-501
• IMO PSPC

 

ISO 12944 - Paints and varnishes — Corrosion protection of steel structures by protective paint systems

• Part 1: General introduction
• Part 2: Classification of environments
• Part 3: Design considerations
• Part 4: Types of surface and surface preparation
• Part 5: Protective paint systems
• Part 6: Laboratory performance test methods
• Part 7: Execution and supervision of paint work
• Part 8: Development of specifications for new work and maintenance
• Part 9: Protective paint systems and laboratory performance test methods for offshore and related structures

 

Reference areas - ISO 12944 Parts 7 and 8:

Reference areas are suitable (and accessible) areas on the structure used to:

• Establish a minimum acceptable Standard for the work
• Check that data provided by a manufacturer or contractor is correct
• Enable the performance of the coating to be assessed at any time after completion

 

A reference area must be:

• An area with typical corrosive stresses / exposure for the structure concerned
• Available for inspection at any time
• Visibly marked or labelled “Reference area: Do not over-coat or paint”

 

Surface preparation and application must be controlled to meet the written specification by all interested parties. All involved parties should agree upon:

• Location of the reference area
• Size (m²) of the reference area
• Number of reference areas

 

All involved parties are required to inspect:

• steelwork
• cleaning
• surface preparation (blast cleaning)
• ambient conditions
• Application of all coats in the system
• drying / curing
• completed system

 

When the reference area is finished, all interested parties shall sign off their attendance and agreement that the area meets the specification.

 

Guidelines for number and size of reference areas – ISO 12944 - 7

Size of structure (painted area) m2	Recommended maximum number of reference areas	Recommended maximum percentage of reference area relative to total area of structure	Recommended maximum total area of reference areas m2
< 2.000	3	0,6	12
2.000 to 5.000	5	0,5	25
5.000 to 10.000	7	0,5	50
10.000 to 25.000	7	0,3	75
25.000 to 50.000	9	0,2	100
>50.000	9	0,2	200

 

NORSOK Standard M-501 - Surface preparation and protective coating

The NORSOK Standard M-501 is developed by the Norwegian Petroleum Industry, represented by The Norwegian Oil Industry Association and Federation of Norwegian Industry.

 

The Standard gives the requirements for protective coatings to be applied during the construction and installation of offshore installations and associated facilities. The requirements are related to:

• Selection of coating materials
• Surface preparation
• Application procedures
• Inspection

 

This NORSOK Standard cover both paints, metallic coatings and sprayed on passive fire protective coatings.

 

Main content

• General requirements
• Health, safety and environment
• Surface preparation
• Paint application
• Thermally sprayed metallic coatings
• Sprayed on passive fire protection
• Qualification requirements
• Inspection and testing
• Annex A (Normative) Coating systems

 

Performance Standard for Protective Coatings - PSPC

International Maritime Organization (IMO) declared: The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), at its 82nd session held from 29 November to 8 December 2006, adopted Resolution MSC.215(82) Performance standard for protective coatings of dedicated seawater ballast tanks on all new ships and of double-side skin spaces of bulk carriers, which will be made mandatory by way of amendments to SOLAS regulations II-1/3-2, also adopted at the session.

 

The standard is often referred to as Performance Standard for Protective Coatings - PSPC and applies to the marine industry:

• Seawater ballast tanks (all types vessels) and double side skin spaces (bulk carrier)
• Cargo oil tanks of crude oil tankers
• Void Spaces (bulk carriers and oil tankers)

 

The first two are now enforced and implemented.

 

Main content of PSPC Standard

• General principles
• Coating Standard
• Coating system approval
• Coating inspection requirements
• Verification requirements
• Alternative systems
• Appendix:
  • Testing methods for pre-qualification of coating systems
  • Reports
  • Dry film thickness measurements

 

Process requirements to pre-qualify a coating system

There are various requirements and procedure to pre-qualify the performance of coating systems in ISO 12944, NORSOK M-501 and PSPC

• ISO 12944: refer to Part 6
• NORSOK M-501: refer to ISO 12944 part 9
• PSPC: refer to Annex 1

Typical laboratory testing and assessment carried out during research and development

• Outdoor exposure
• Artificial weathering
• Weather-o-meter
• Salt spray chamber
• Cyclic testing
• Abrasion resistance
• Hardness
• Flexibility
• Chemical resistance
• Water resistance
• Solvent resistance
• Gloss retention
• Colour retention
• Cathodic disbondment
• Corrosion resistance
• Fouling resistance
• Recoating properties

 

Typical quality control testing carried out during manufacturing

• Pot-life
• Drying times
• Specific gravity
• Application properties
• Sag resistance
• Colour
• Gloss
• Viscosity

 

Standards related to physical / mechanical properties

Property	Standard / Test method
Abrasion resistance	ASTM D4060
Adhesion (Cross cut) Adhesion (Pull-off) Adhesion (Shear strength)	ISO 2409; 16276-2; DIN 53251; BS 3900-E6; ASTM 3359 ISO 4624; 16276-1; ASTM 4541; BS 3900 - E10 ASTM D 1002 (Specified for passive fire proofing)
Gloss	ISO 2813
Hardness Hardness Hardness	ISO 2815 (Buchholz - method) ISO 1522 (Kønig - pendulum) ASTM D2583 (Barcol)
Elasticity Flexibility	ISO 1520 (Cupping test) ISO 6860, ASTM D522; BS 3900 - E11 (Conical mandrel)
Impact resistance	ISO/TR 6272 - 79E; ASTM D 2794 - 84 DIN 55669; BS 3900 - E3

 

Standards related to exposure testing

Test method	Standards	Test method	Standards
Salt spray	ISO 9227	Humidity chamber	BS 3900
Prohesion test	ASTM G85	Weathering	ISO 2810
UV-cabinet	ASTM G53	Resistance to liquids	ISO 2812
Condensation chamber	ISO 6270

 

Standards related to evaluation of paint films

Test method	Standards	Test method	Standards
Blistering	ISO 4628-2	Flaking	ISO 4628-5
Rust	ISO 4628-3	Chalking	ISO 4628-6
Cracking	ISO 4628-4	Scribe	ASTM D1654

 

Standards related to evaluation of liquid paint

Test method	Standards
Viscosity (flow cups)	ISO 2431
Viscosity (rotary viscometers)	ISO 2884
Application properties (test spraying)