Evaluation of 4-Year Atmospheric Corrosion of Carbon Steel, Aluminum, Copper and Zinc in a Coastal Military Airport in Greece

Abstract

Atmospheric corrosion seriously affects the working life of construction metals. The quantitative knowledge of the corrosion effects helps the maintenance and the materials’ logistics. In this work, in a military airport located by the sea, the corrosion damage equations of carbon steel, aluminum, zinc and copper are determined after outdoor exposure for four years. Exposure started in 2014, at two different periods of the year, in summer and in winter, for all cases. Weight loss measurements were performed as well as characterization of the exposed metal coupon surfaces by microscopy: optical, electron and atomic force, by X-ray diffraction and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Atmospheric conditions and pollutants were also evaluated. The derived corrosion equations of all tested metals for the exposure have been employed for the 30-year projection of expected corrosion. A parallel 12-month exposure of steel and aluminum—the most common airport metals—have been evaluated for five consequent years to designate the rating of the airport, according to ISO and ASTM Standards. The results showed that there is not a good correlation between the predictions of the Corrosion Damage Algorithm and the Europe Corrosion Map and the actual measurements on steel and aluminum at the site.