Corrosion Under Pipe Supports (CUPS)

Corrosion Under Pipe Supports (CUPS) is one of the most prevalent and hazardous damage mechanisms confronting industrial piping systems. Water entrapment, degraded protective coatings, and crevice environments at structural beam contacts, clamps, and cradles frequently induce accelerated external metal loss that remains hidden from standard visual inspections. TechCorr deploys advanced non-destructive testing systems designed specifically to interrogate these line-to-support contact interfaces without the operational risks, line lifting, or plant disruptions associated with live pipe jacking.

Key Capabilities

• Non-intrusive screening utilizing short-range and guided wave ultrasonic testing (GWUT) to evaluate concealed support contact zones.
• Tangential and computed radiography delivering profiled, calibrated imagery of remaining wall thickness along support interfaces.
• Specialized EMAT and phased array ultrasonic techniques that overcome restricted clearance between pipe OD and structural members.
• Defect classification and structural depth sizing to quantify localized crevice corrosion, pitting, and generalized wall loss.
• Rope access deployment capabilities for overhead, congested pipe racks and offshore processing decks without scaffolding.

Compliance & Standards

Our CUPS assessment workflows align with API 570, API 571 (Damage Mechanisms), API Recommended Practice 583 (Corrosion Under Insulation and Fireproofing), ASME Section V, ASME B31.3, and NACE/AMPP standard practices for atmospheric corrosion mitigation and industrial coatings.

TechCorr’s specialized CUPS evaluations deliver quantitative engineering data that allows facility operators to remediate high-risk contact areas proactively, prevent catastrophic pipe ruptures, and prioritize maintenance expenditures based on proven structural wall remaining.