Home ] [ Services ] [ Visit Us ] [ News ] [ Weather ]

Service 2

Service 3

  The LaQue Center’s Kure Beach, NC test sites, established in 1935, are considered the world standard for natural marine atmospheric exposures. In 1988, ASM International designated the Kure Beach atmospheric test sites as a Historical Landmark for its pioneering efforts in marine atmospheric testing.

Kure Beach, 18 miles south of Wrightsville Beach, is located adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean at latitude 34^oN, longitude 77.5^oW.  Four+ acres of test areas, free of potential sources of industrial air contamination, are available for specimens and various equipment to be exposed to the ravages of the marine atmosphere.

The "oceanfront" test lot is located approximately 40 meters from the mean tide on a gently sloping natural shoreline with an unobstructed view to the ocean, and has about 320 linear feet along the ocean.  The prevailing winds blowing from the ocean create natural airborne salt spray conditions that result in a very "severe" atmospheric environment.

The second test lot, the "near-ocean" site, is situated approximately 180 meters from the mean tide.  Since this site is set further back form the ocean than the oceanfront lot, it receives less airborne salt spray than the latter and, consequently, the environmental conditions are less corrosive.  The "near-ocean" site is often most suitable for outdoor weathering of nonmetallic specimens.

The value of testing in a natural marine environment as compared to an artificial one is directly related to the existence of several variable and often interactive factors.  These include temperature, the chloride content in the air and its accumulation on the material exposed and the time during which the surface of the material remains wet from moisture or humidity.  These, in turn, are controlled by such factors as proximity to the ocean, elevation above sea level, prevailing winds and wave action, precipitation, humidity and shelter.  In addition, biological organism and solar radiation effects are important considerations for outdoor weathering and corrosion testing.

The Kure Beach facility is equipped with monitoring and calibration equipment to measure and record key environmental factors--temperature, relative humidity, dew point, solar energy (global and UVR), wind speed and direction, time of wetness, rain-fall, and chlorides.  In addition, corrosivity of the outdoor test environment is measured continuously at several locations using standard test panels and Wire-On-Bolt specimens.

Among the temperatures which are measured are ambient air, dew point, test panel surface, black panel surface and when necessary the temperature inside enclosures.  The extent of sunlight at an atmospheric test site will influence not only the degree of wetness on a specimen surface but will also affect the performance of coatings and some non-metallics.  Accordingly, both duration and intensity of ultraviolet and solar radiation are continuously monitored.  Actually, Total Ultraviolet Rays (TUVR) and Total Solar measured at the Kure Beach site--measured since 1993--equaled that of two Florida weathering sites.  The intensity and direction of prevailing winds can affect corrosion and weathering by influencing both the surface condition on a test specimen and the type of atmospheric environment which may prevail at a given test site.  Long-established research has emphasized the influence of increased wind intensity on surface-to-air heat transfer and the resultant increase in the relative humidity required to achieve condensation on a test specimen surface.  Wind speed and direction are continuously measured and recorded at Kure Beach test sites.  Marine atmospheric environments are recognized as among the most aggressive because of the deposition of airborne salt (chloride) and prolonged times of wetness---associated both with airborne droplets of seawater from the ocean and the hygroscopic nature of salt.  Kure Beach's significantly high temperatures and high ultraviolet-and-solar radiation coupled with its unique and well-characterized coastal environment, produce the most world's most useful marine atmospheric test sites for outdoor corrosion and weathering testing.

The LaQue Center has experience testing specimens of all material types, shapes and sizes.  In addition to standard size test coupons, component hardware and full-scale operating equipment are routinely accommodated.  Through the years we have tested hundreds-of-thousands of test specimens ranging from simple vinyl siding panels, intricate assemblies for the Statue of Liberty restoration project to full-scale working units for air conditioner manufacturers.

Our test racks, conforming to ASTM G-50 "Standard Practice for Conducting Atmospheric Corrosion Tests on Metals", are constructed of MONELä alloy 400 and Type 316 stainless steel.  For corrosion tests, most specimens are exposed facing eastward (toward the Atlantic Ocean) and on test racks positioned at a 30^o angle from horizontal; alternate positions such as vertical, 5^o and 45^o angles are readily available and often used.  For weathering tests, we typically use "Harrison Racks" constructed from 6000 series aluminum in the T6 temper.  Exposure orientation is typically southward (towards the equator) and positioned at 5^o, 45^o, 90^o or the Latitude Angle per ASTM G-7, "Standard Practice for Atmospheric Environmental Exposure Testing of Nonmetallic Materials".

Standard recommended practices of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and other national and international standards organizations are observed in testing procedures. Where no standard procedures exist, the LaQue Center is a world-leader in designing custom corrosion testing programs for unique applications.