Analysis of Consequences and Prevention Measures for Welded Embedded Rebar Without Anti-Rust Treatment

In building safety, no detail is trivial—concealed work is critical. In the construction of new architectural decorative materials such as UHPC, GRC, GRG, and GRP, the anti-rust treatment of embedded steel bars may seem minor, yet it directly affects the durability and safety of building structures. As the Qinglong Group with 28 years of industry experience, we know how important every detail is to project quality. Today, we take an in-depth look at the potential risks of welded embedded steel bars left without anti-rust treatment and the scientific prevention measures.

### I. Corrosion Risks: A Chain Reaction from Micro Damage to Macro Collapse

As the "sinews" connecting GRC components to the main structure, embedded steel bars will face steadily escalating corrosion if their welded areas are long exposed to humid, acidic, or alkaline environments. In the early stage, rust expansion reduces the steel bar cross-section and lowers tensile strength; when corrosion depth exceeds 10%, the anchoring force of GRC components will decline sharply, potentially causing safety incidents such as facade detachment and structural cracking. A landmark project once ignored anti-rust treatment at welded joints; three years later, its exterior wall GRC cladding panels shifted, and later repair costs reached 20% of the original construction cost—a typical case of "a small oversight leading to a big problem."

### II. Industry Pain Point: Why Is Anti-Rust Treatment Often Overlooked?

In current building construction, anti-rust failure of embedded steel bars mainly stems from three misconceptions: first, believing that welding heat has already destroyed the anti-rust layer and that follow-up treatment is "useless"; second, relying on concrete encasement for "natural rust prevention" while ignoring exposure risks during the construction period; third, substituting ordinary anti-rust paint for professional industrial coatings, which greatly compromises protection. While participating in drafting the Technical Standard for Building Application of Glass Fiber Reinforced Cement (GRC), Qinglong Group found that about 30% of GRC project quality problems are directly related to corrosion of metal connectors—a figure that should serve as a warning to the industry.

### III. Full-Chain Protection: The Golden Solution Drawn from Qinglong's 28 Years of Experience

As a national-level high-tech enterprise, Qinglong Group has established a full-process anti-rust system covering everything from material selection to construction acceptance: in the detailed design stage, BIM technology is used to simulate corrosion risks at welded steel bar joints, giving priority to galvanized steel bars or stainless steel connectors; in production, welded areas receive triple protection of "sandblasting rust removal + epoxy zinc-rich primer + sealing topcoat," with dry film coating thickness guaranteed at ≥80μm; during construction and installation, dedicated testing instruments monitor corrosion indicators in real time, together with UHPC grouting material to form a physical isolation barrier. This solution was successfully applied in the Century Plaza renovation project on Nanjing East Road, extending the service life of metal connectors in light-transmitting concrete components to over 50 years.

### IV. Long-Term Assurance: A Management Upgrade from Passive Repair to Active Prevention

High-quality anti-rust treatment requires not only advanced technology but also scientific management. Qinglong Group has innovatively introduced an "anti-rust passport" system that records in detail the welding time, anti-rust process parameters, and test results of each batch of steel bars, achieving full life-cycle traceability through RFID chips. For coastal high-humidity environments, we have also developed a composite application scheme combining cathodic protection technology with GRC materials, raising anti-corrosion capability by 40%. These measures vividly embody Qinglong's corporate motto of "meticulousness and the relentless pursuit of excellence" and reflect our responsibility, as a vice-chairman unit of the China GRC Association, to uphold industry quality standards.

A building's safety and beauty have always been hidden in the details. Though inconspicuous, the anti-rust treatment of embedded steel bars is an important line of defense protecting a building's life. Qinglong Group will continue leveraging its 28 years of full-chain service advantages, along with patented technologies (58 patents) and standard-setting experience, to provide designers and owners with expert-level solutions from detailed design to after-sales maintenance, ensuring that every GRC and UHPC architectural work stands the test of time. After all, upholding quality is a commitment to the safety of life.