Abstract
The aggressiveness of the atmospheric environment can be assessed by measurement of climatic and pollution factors, or by determination of the corrosion rates of metals and coatings. The latter is a low-cost technique which has traditionally been employed at single isolated sites with different types of environments. This approach does not, however, adequately portray the levels of corrosivity across a city or region which can vary by an order of magnitude. A technique has been devised at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in which specimens are exposed across a grid of contiguous sites and the results computer contoured to generate corrosivity maps. A new method of hyperbolic interpolation of the data has been developed to model corrosivity approaching the coastline. The paper presents results from surveys around an industrial point source of SO2, conducted over two different periods. The technique of corrosivity mapping was demonstrated to be a sensitive indicator of localised zones of enhanced corrosion, and the two maps reflected changed conditions in the plant’s operation in the two periods. The paper also discusses corrosion mapping in countries other than Australia, and examines the costs of such exercises and the potential savings they can provide.
