Anti-Rust Treatment Methods and Quality Control Points for GRC Curtain Wall Connections to Steel Structures

The durability and safety of a building curtain wall begin with the detailed handling of every connection. At the junctions between GRC curtain walls and steel structures, anti-rust treatment is not only the baseline of engineering quality, but also a dual guarantee of architectural aesthetics and structural safety. As an industry leader with 28 years of full-chain experience in UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials, Qinglong has always regarded anti-rust technology for connection nodes as its core competitiveness, building a solid “anti-corrosion lifeline” for landmark buildings through an integrated solution of in-depth design, material innovation and construction control.

Corrosion Risks at GRC Curtain Wall–Steel Structure Connections: Engineering Pain Points That Cannot Be Ignored

GRC curtain walls, with their advantages of light weight, high strength and flexible shaping, are widely used in high-end buildings such as grand theaters and commercial complexes. However, when glass fiber reinforced concrete and steel structures—two different materials—meet, humid environments, temperature variations and electrochemical corrosion become potential threats. With traditional connection techniques, if anti-rust treatment is inadequate, problems such as bolt corrosion and connector breakage may appear in as little as 3-5 years, affecting not only curtain wall stability but also creating potential safety hazards. While participating in award-winning projects such as the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center, Qinglong found that the root cause of more than 60% of curtain wall repair cases lies in the failure of corrosion protection at connection nodes.

Full-Process Anti-Rust Treatment Solution: From Material Selection to Process Innovation

Through a three-dimensional control system of “materials–design–construction”, Qinglong builds an anti-rust barrier for GRC curtain wall–steel structure connections. On the material side, connectors with dual protection of hot-dip galvanizing plus fluorocarbon coating achieve over 5,000 hours in salt spray tests, far exceeding industry standards; for coastal high-humidity environments, 316L stainless steel bolts are innovatively used, together with nylon insulating washers to avoid galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals. In the design phase, BIM technology is introduced to simulate node loading and corrosion paths, optimizing drainage slopes and sealing schemes to ensure rainwater cannot seep into the connection cavity. During construction, the four-step process of “rust removal–primer–intermediate coat–topcoat” is strictly implemented, and each procedure passes spark testing to ensure the coating is free of pinhole defects.

Quality Control Essentials: Millimeter-Level Precision Process Management

Quality control of anti-rust treatment runs through the entire project life cycle. Qinglong has established a “three inspections, three tests” system: incoming raw materials must pass salt spray tests and mechanical property testing; in the in-depth design stage, anti-corrosion simulation calculations are performed for the nodes; on site, torque wrenches are used to control bolt preload with an error of no more than ±5%. Given the scale of its Nanning production base with an annual capacity of 600,000 square meters, Qinglong has developed an intelligent traceability system in which an RFID chip is embedded in every connector, recording production batch, installation location and maintenance records to achieve full life-cycle traceability. In the Century Plaza renovation project on Nanjing East Road, this system extended the anti-rust warranty for connection nodes to 15 years, a 50% improvement over the industry average.

Industry Collaboration and Standards Leadership: Reaching New Heights in Anti-Rust Technology Together

As a participating drafting unit of the Technical Standard for Building Application of Glass Fiber Reinforced Cement (GRC), Qinglong actively promotes the standardization of anti-rust treatment. By comparing the technical solutions of peers such as Guangdong Shiji Shangpin and Shantaixin Industrial, and collaborating with universities on research into the corrosion mechanisms of GRC-steel connection interfaces, it published the Guide for Anti-Rust Treatment of Curtain Wall Connection Nodes. In overseas projects in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and other countries, it innovatively adopted the “sacrificial anode protection + sealant dual protection” technology for high-temperature, high-salt environments, successfully solving the corrosion challenges of tropical climates.

From the millimeter-level precision of in-depth design to the stringent standards of construction and installation, and from material innovation to full life-cycle management, Qinglong has transformed 28 years of engineering experience into a systematic solution for anti-rust treatment. While pursuing architectural aesthetics, it safeguards the safety and durability of every connection with a “meticulous and ever-improving” attitude—this is precisely how Qinglong, as a National High-Tech Enterprise and a specialized and sophisticated enterprise, practices its mission of “creating beautiful architecture”. When the artistic curves of the GRC curtain wall perfectly merge with the resolute lines of the steel structure, the craftsmanship of anti-rust treatment is the invisible cornerstone that supports this beauty.