SoilCorrosion

DefinitionWhatdoesSoilCorrosionmean?
Soilcorrosionisageologichazardthataffectsburiedmetalsandconcretethatisindirectcontactwithsoilorbedrock.Soil
corrosionisacomplexphenomenon,withamultitudeofvariablesinvolved.Pittingcorrosionandstresscorrosioncracking(SCC)
arearesultofsoilcorrosion,whichleadstoundergroundoilandgastransmissionpipelinefailures.
Insomerespects,corrosioninsoilsresemblesatmosphericcorrosioninthatobservedrates,althoughusuallyhigherthaninthe
atmosphere,varytoamarkeddegreewiththetypeofsoil.Forexample,acastironwaterpipemaylast50yearsinNewEngland
soil,butonly20yearsinthemorecorrosivesoilofSouthernCalifornia.
Threecommonindicatorsofasoil'stendencytocorrodeferrousmetalsare:
Electricalresistivity
Chloridecontent
pHlevel

CorrosionpediaexplainsSoilCorrosion
Corrosivesoilscontainchemicalconstituentsthatcanreactwithconstructionmaterials,suchasconcreteandferrousmetals,
whichmaydamagefoundationsandburiedpipelines.Theelectrochemicalcorrosionprocessesthattakeplaceonmetalsurfaces
insoilsoccurinthegroundwaterthatisincontactwiththecorrodingstructure.Boththesoilandtheclimateinfluencethe
groundwatercomposition.
Factorsthatinfluencesoilcorrosionare:
Porosity(aeration)
Electricalconductivityorresistivity
Dissolvedsalts,includingdepolarizersorinhibitors
Moisture
pH
Eachofthesevariablesmayaffecttheanodicandcathodicpolarizationcharacteristicsofametalinsoil.Themostcorrosivesoils
havehighcontentof:
Moisture
Electricalconductivity
Acidity
Dissolvedsalts
Corrosionratesundergroundhavebeenmeasuredbyusing:
SternGearylinearpolarizationmethod
Weightlossmethod
Theformermethodhasbeenusefulinassessingthecorrosionratesoffootingsofgalvanizedsteeltowersusedtosupportpower
lines.
Thecorrosivityofsoilscanbeestimatedbymeasuringsoilresistivity.Sandysoilsarehighontheresistivityscaleandtherefore
consideredtheleastcorrosive.Claysoils,especiallythosecontaminatedwithsalinewaterareontheoppositeendofthespectrum.
Soilcorrosioncanbecontrolledby:
Usingorganicandinorganiccoatings
Applyingmetalliccoatings
Alterationofsoil
Cathodicprotection

Sharethis: () a() b() v() g()