Paul Lambert: pioneering corrosion technology

Getting the most out of materials is more important now than it’s ever been. Preserving materials saves money, saves energy, saves carbon – it’s the sustainable thing to do.

Today, Paul Lambert is one of the key people pioneering cathodic protection. This is his story.

Paul is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, a Fellow of the Institute of Corrosion, and an Industrial Fellow of the Royal Society. He is a past president of the Institute of Corrosion. He conducts research into novel materials, protective coatings and repair technologies at Sheffield Hallam University, where he has been a visiting professor for more than 20 years.

Paul’s career has included devising simple-to-apply waterproofing systems for buildings in South Africa, training bridge inspectors in Qatar, developing corrosion prevention systems for a 9/11 memorial in the US, and designing protective coatings that could be applied to locally-sourced materials for a World Bank-funded modern sewerage system in Iran. Such is his reputation that he has been called on as an expert witness on corrosion in court cases around the world.

Paul is best known as one of the world’s leading authorities in applying cathodic protection to reinforced concrete and iron- and steel-framed structures. This technology is predominantly used to halt corrosion, so maintaining the structural strength and integrity of buildings and infrastructure. Paul’s work has resulted in cost-effective long-term life extensions for bridges, tunnels, multi-storey carparks, historic buildings and even works of art.

At the Silver Jubilee Bridge near Liverpool UK, for example, Paul designed cathodic protection for the bridge’s supporting piers which, over the decades since being constructed, had required significant concrete repairs every three to five years. In the 30 years since the system was installed, those piers have needed no further repairs.

“The industry had been approaching concrete repairs like early toothcare – see a hole and fill it,” says Paul. “We’ve come a long way since then.”

As well as cutting repair and maintenance, preserving structural performance and extending the working life of protected structures, Paul’s work to control corrosion reduces disruption to those who use them. It also saves materials, energy and cost, benefiting the planet as well as his clients’ bank balances.

“Paul’s expertise is incredibly rare,” says James Harris, our executive chair. “His depth of knowledge and expertise, and his willingness to just help colleagues, has been fantastic. There are many people in the business with a story about Paul’s expertise, his responsiveness, and his desire to help.”

After spending decades shining a spotlight on the importance of materials science in major civil engineering projects, Paul is leading the charge towards integrating his team’s specialism right from the beginning of new infrastructure developments. “Using materials correctly from the start means they will last longer, and that is more cost-effective and more sustainable,” he says.

Paul is also working to make major new infrastructure “CP-ready” – that is, designed in such a way that cathodic protection can be more easily retrofitted in the future to extend lifespan. Examples include tunnels, bridges, pipelines and other critical infrastructure.

“There is an awful lot of infrastructure out there that CP can add value to,” says Paul. “Anything constructed using iron or steel. In the end, making things last is what my career has been all about, and all I’ve really wanted to do. Over time that has become more important for clients and society – something that’s of value for everybody else. I’ve been very fortunate in that respect.”