Aluminum products are used extensively in natural atmospheres and in and around water. They are also widely used in building materials and as containers for chemicals and food and beverage products. This chapter discusses the corrosion mechanisms associated with these environments and the influence of various factors and prevention methods. It also includes an extensive amount of data of corrosion rates, corrosion resistance, and changes in mechanical properties.

This article describes the basic approaches to improving the fire resistance of a polymeric material, considers the burning process on a microscale and macroscale, and discusses various test methods for determining the flammability characteristics of polymeric materials. Test methods are classified in two ways: by fire response characteristics and by particular applications of polymeric materials.

Aluminum alloy products offer architectural and building solutions that exploit the benefits inherent in this metal: light weight, excellent durability, low maintenance, and thermal management opportunities. This chapter discusses the major applications for aluminum building products and related competitive materials. The commonly used alloys and tempers and their performance benefits are outlined for extruded profiles, rolled sheet and foil, and die cast products.

This chapter deals with the technology of stainless steel as it pertains to its proper use in architecture, art, and construction. It begins with an overview of the corrosion resistance of stainless steel, providing guidelines for balancing corrosion resistance, processing characteristics, and economy. This is followed by sections describing the influence of surface finish on corrosion resistance of stainless steel and reviewing some of the factors pertinent to balancing service environment, design requirements, and maintenance considerations. The chapter then discusses the various factors pertinent to important considerations in buildings, namely surface finish aesthetics, flatness, maintenance, repair, fabrication, and service considerations. It ends with a section providing information on concrete reinforcing bar.

The hot-working process extrusion is used to produce semifinished products in the form of bar, strip, and solid sections, as well as tubes and hollow sections. The first part of this chapter describes the composition, properties, and applications of tin and lead extruded products with a deformation temperature range of 0 to 300 deg C and magnesium and aluminum extruded products with a working temperature range of 300 to 600 deg C. The second part focuses on copper alloy extruded products, extruded titanium alloy products, and extruded products in iron alloys with a working temperature range of 600 to 1300 deg C.

This appendix contains bibliographies related to the history of stainless steel.

Stainless steels have a wide variety of applications for household products, food-handling equipment, major appliances, medical equipment, and industrial equipment. Stainless is also featured in many architectural designs and monuments. Many of the most important applications of stainless steel can be found in the transportation industry, where both the cutlery martensitic and the chromium-nickel austenitic stainless steels have been used. This chapter provides a detailed discussion on these applications.

This chapter reviews the nomenclature of different vehicle components helpful in identifying the target applications and discusses the implementation of advanced high-strength steels (AHSS) in automotive and nonautomotive industries. In addition, the chapter provides information on the utilization and trends of AHSS in vehicle bodies and closures.

This chapter describes the making of iconic structures such as the Chrysler Building. It also describes the discoveries of the Nirosta (18-8) stainless steel that was used for the construction of the Chrysler Building. The chapter presents William Van Alen's description of 18-8 stainless steel for the Chrysler Building. It provides information on the opening ceremonies for the Chrysler Building, Van Alen's vision, and the exterior of the building.

This chapter discusses design and certification considerations, including materials and process selection, the building block approach to certification, design allowables, and design guidelines. It also includes information on damage tolerance and environmental sensitivity.

Statistics, data analysis, root cause analysis, and problem-solving processes play a key role in failure investigations. This chapter explains how to collect failure investigation data, how to build and maintain a database for company-related failures, and how to use corresponding statistics including type of failure, material, and root cause. It describes the purpose and benefits of conducting a root cause analysis and the factors, namely relative failure importance and company value, that determine when an investigation should be performed. The chapter also discusses the four-step problem-solving process as it applies to failure investigation, how to assemble an investigation team, and the details of organization and planning. It concludes with a case history of the Firestone 500 steel-belted tire failure, stressing the importance of a systematic approach to failure investigations.

This appendix is a timeline of events related to the discovery, development, and commercialization of stainless steels.

This chapter details aluminum products most familiar to consumers including cookware, electronics and TVs, home interiors, luggage and briefcases, and outdoor furniture. Aluminum in art is also discussed.

This chapter discusses the work of a famous stainless steel pioneer, Edward G. Budd. The discussion covers his early years, his automobile body business, the arrival of novel kind of stainless steel in America, Earl Ragsdale's shot weld patent, the world's first stainless steel airplane, the world's first stainless steel rubber-tired train, the Flying Yankee, the Mark Twain Zephyr, the development of the Budd Company in the war years and postwar years, and a review of the Budd Era.

Corrosion can be defined as a chemical or electrochemical reaction between a material, usually a metal, and its environment that produces a deterioration of the material and its properties. This chapter describes the effects and economic impact of corrosion in major industrial plants. The emphasis in this chapter, as well as in other chapters in this book, is on aqueous corrosion, or corrosion in environments where water is present. The chapter describes the classification of various forms of corrosion based on the nature of the corrodent, mechanism of corrosion, and appearance of the corroded metal. It discusses five primary methods of corrosion control, namely, material selection, coatings, inhibitors, cathodic protection, and design. Examples of the opportunities in corrosion control and the means to implement a program to capitalize on those opportunities are presented in a table. The chapter concludes with varied sources of information pertaining to corrosion and corrosion prevention.

This chapter addresses the implications for increased aluminum usage on major issues such as climate change and solid waste management. The chapter also considers three approaches for decarbonizing aluminum-product production.

This chapter presents examples of aluminum infrastructure applications and their benefits to society. Infrastructure applications covered within this chapter include: electrical conductors; roads and bridges; highway signs, traffic signals, and license plates; railroad and highway crossings; solar energy generation; and agriculture and industrial applications.

This chapter provides an account of the pre-Columbian history of metal discovery in America and then reviews the development of metallurgy in the Middle Ages from early wrought iron practices to the use of coke in iron casting. It discusses the influence of the family of Abraham Darby in England in the development of ironmaking.