Iron and steel in the form of straps, ties, beams, columns and reinforcement have a long history of use in association with masonry, often very satisfactorily. Unfortunately, however, there have been a significant number of problems and failures, particularly of steel in brickwork exposed to normal external weather conditions or harsher conditions such as offshore winds, salt spray or other forms
... [Show full abstract] of contamination. The paper reviews the mechanism of failure, and the way to specify to avoid failure in relation to some of the key factors such as the exposure condition, type of steel alloy and protective coating system.