Modelling steel corrosion damage in soil environment

In this work a mathematical model to estimate the localized corrosion damage propagation in buried structures has been developed considering physicochemical variables of the environment observed in the field (pH, resistivity, redox potential, and electric potential at the soil-metallic structure interface). The model is based upon the concept that damage evolution is an irreversible process. According to the results, this model provides an adequate description of damage evolution and overcomes many of the inconveniences of other models characterized by a power function. The variability of corrosion damages is adequately described by the Gumbel probability distribution function, whose parameters are specified by environmental parameters. Model robustness allows the application in professional practice conditions and provides good damage prediction by using environmental parameters typically measurable in field. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.