3. Environment classification

The environment has a strong impact on the evolution (aging, degradation) of steel structures and surfaces. If steel is not effectively protected, it corrodes at a rate that depends on the corrosiveness of the environment: from ≈ 0 to 0.2 mm of metal thickness per year, depending on the environment in France.

Internationally, various professions have decided to standardize environmental factors in various ways. In the field of metal structure corrosion protection, 19 European countries have decided to implement the entire ISO 12 944 .