How to build a rust proof steel structure factory in Mauritius?
Mauritius, known as the “Rainbow Country” in the Indian Ocean, has a tropical maritime climate with high temperatures (average temperature of 25 ℃) and high humidity (relative humidity often exceeding 80%) throughout the year. There is also a typhoon season from June to November each year (maximum wind speed exceeding 12 levels). In such an environment, traditional color steel plate factories are prone to rusting, weak wind resistance, and high maintenance costs, gradually making it difficult to meet the needs of industrial warehousing and processing workshops. The rust proof steel structure factory building, with its characteristics of corrosion resistance, strong wind resistance, and fast construction, is becoming a new trend in industrial construction in Mauritius.
1. Why is it necessary to choose rust proof steel structure for building factories in Mauritius?
The unique climate of Mauritius presents three major challenges to architecture:
High humidity+salt spray corrosion: In factories near the ocean, the concentration of salt ions in the air is high, and ordinary steel is prone to electrochemical corrosion. Rust spots and even structural perforation may appear within 3-5 years.
Frequent typhoons: Strong winds (≥ 12 levels) can easily cause roofs to overturn and beams and columns to deform, and traditional light steel structures have insufficient wind resistance.
Damp heat cycle: High temperature during the day (30 ℃+) accelerates steel oxidation, while high humidity at night (dew condensation) exacerbates corrosion. Ordinary coatings are prone to aging and peeling.
Through the triple protection of materials, processes, and design, rust resistant steel structures can address these issues in a targeted manner
Rust resistant steel: Double protection using hot-dip galvanized aluminum magnesium (GL) steel or epoxy zinc rich primer+polyurethane topcoat, with corrosion resistance 5-8 times higher than ordinary steel.
Wind resistant structure: optimize beam column joints (such as adding slant support and strengthening bolt connection) to improve the overall wind resistance stability.
Damp heat adaptation: Choose weather resistant enclosure materials (such as 50mm thick PU sandwich panels) to reduce water vapor infiltration and extend maintenance cycles.
2. The entire process of building a rust proof steel structure factory in Mauritius
From early planning to later acceptance, the construction of the rust proof steel structure factory needs to closely follow the climate characteristics of Mauritius, with a focus on the following aspects:
2.1 Preliminary planning
Site investigation: Priority should be given to selecting plots with high terrain and good drainage (to avoid low-lying water accumulation exacerbating corrosion). Detect soil pH value (acidic soil requires anti-corrosion treatment) and evaluate whether there are salt spray sources in the surrounding area (such as seaside, saline alkali land).
Climate data collection: Collect data on typhoon paths, rainfall, peak humidity, etc. in the past 10 years for structural wind resistance calculation (such as wind vibration coefficient of 1.2-1.5) and material selection (such as using C5-M anti-corrosion coatings in coastal areas).
Functional zoning design: Divide the area according to the production process (such as storage area and processing area), clarify the load requirements (storage area needs to withstand the stacking pressure of goods, processing area needs to consider equipment vibration), and avoid structural deformation caused by excessive local loads.
2.2 Material selection
The core of rust proof steel structure is the dual guarantee of steel and protective system. The Mauritius project needs to focus on:
Main steel: Q355B grade hot-dip galvanized aluminum magnesium steel (galvanized amount ≥ 275g/㎡) is recommended. Its zinc aluminum magnesium alloy layer can form a dense protective film on the surface of the steel, which can self repair even if scratched, and is suitable for high salt spray environments.
Enclosure panel: Priority should be given to selecting 50mm thick PU sandwich panel (core density ≥ 40kg/m ³), with an outer layer of 0.5mm thick aluminum zinc steel plate (salt spray resistance ≥ 1000 hours) and an inner layer of flame-retardant polyurethane (fire rating B1), which can not only insulate and prevent moisture, but also resist typhoon lifting.
Connection accessories: Bolts should be made of 304 stainless steel or hot-dip galvanized (galvanized layer ≥ 80 μ m) to avoid rusting and loosening of nodes; Roof ridges, eaves, and other areas prone to water accumulation require the installation of waterproof rubber strips to prevent rainwater from penetrating and corroding the steel.
2.3 Structural design
Wind resistant design:
The beam column adopts a combination of “rigid connection+hinged connection” nodes (rigid connection at the column base enhances overall stability, and hinged connection at the beam end reduces bending moment).
Install wind suction anchors (such as wind resistant clamps) on the roof to secure the roof panels to the rafters and prevent strong winds from lifting them up.
The spacing between purlins is increased (from 6 meters to 4-5 meters) to reduce the span of roof panels and mitigate the risk of wind-induced vibration.
Moisture resistant design:
The bottom of the steel column is equipped with concrete piers and anti-corrosion coatings (concrete wrapping steel column ≥ 300mm, coating thickness ≥ 120 μ m) to prevent direct erosion by ground moisture.
The junction between the wall and the ground should be treated with flashing (laying waterproof rolls and metal edge strips) to prevent rainwater from flowing back.
Install ventilation devices on the roof (such as non powered air caps) to accelerate air circulation and reduce the accumulation of internal condensation water.
2.4 Key points of construction
Foundation construction: Mauritius is rainy, and independent foundations and crushed stone cushion layers (cushion layer thickness ≥ 300mm, slope ≥ 5%) are required to avoid structural tilt caused by foundation settlement. The foundation concrete needs to be mixed with waterproofing agents (such as silane hydrophobic agents) to prevent groundwater from penetrating and corroding the steel columns.
Component hoisting: Before the steel components are transported to the site, the surface coating should be checked for integrity (if there are scratches, epoxy zinc rich primer should be applied). Use specialized lifting equipment (such as nylon slings) during hoisting to avoid friction damage to the coating caused by the steel wire rope.
Node connection: Bolt tightening needs to be carried out in two stages (initial tightening to 50% of the design value and final tightening to 100%) to ensure uniform force distribution on the node. The welding area needs to be polished flat and coated with anti-corrosion paint (such as epoxy cloud iron intermediate paint) to avoid the weld becoming a starting point for corrosion.
2.5 Post maintenance
Regular inspection: Check the roof and walls every six months for any damage (such as cracking of sandwich panel nail holes and rusting of steel plates), and repair them in a timely manner (seal with the same material panel and sealant).
Coating maintenance: Re apply the topcoat (such as polyurethane topcoat) every 3 years to prevent UV aging; Coastal areas need to be shortened to once every 2 years.
Drainage dredging: Clean the roof drainage ditch and eaves ditch before the rainy season every year to avoid water infiltration and corrosion of the purlins;
Post typhoon maintenance: After the typhoon, focus on checking the verticality of steel columns (deviation ≤ H/1000) and whether the purlins are deformed, and promptly correct or replace damaged components.
3. Conclusion
In Mauritius, rust resistant steel structure factories are not only a choice for corrosion resistance, but also a long-term investment for cost reduction and efficiency improvement. It can resist the erosion of typhoons and high humidity, shorten the production cycle through rapid construction, and improve asset utilization with low maintenance costs. From early planning to later maintenance, every step needs to closely follow the climate characteristics of Mauritius and select suitable materials and processes.
If you are planning an industrial plant in Mauritius, you may consider prioritizing rust resistant steel structures. Canglong Group uses the toughness of steel to safeguard the safety and efficiency of every production.
