Initial Stage of Atmospheric Corrosion of Carbon and Weathering Steels in Thailand Climate

Corrosion of carbon and weathering steels were evaluated under 3 environmental exposures in Thailand (urban, rural and marine) for a year. The seasonal study was designed to determine different corrosion mechanisms by 6 months of dry season and 6 months of rainy season in a year. The sheltered exposure racks were used to determine the washing effect of min. At each site, climatic and pollutants analyses were carried out. The present study showed that the difference in corrosion rates of carbon and weathering steels was not so distinguished in both rural (AIT) and urban (TISTR) environments. The corrosion rate of weathering steel was somewhat lower than that of carbon steel and the decreasing tendency of corrosion rate with time was slightly higher for weathering steel than for carbon steel. In marine (Rayong) environment, the corrosion rate was higher and the effect of wet and dry seasons was observed. The corrosion rate in 6 dry months was higher for direct exposure than for sheltered exposure. However, in 6 rainy months. the corrosion rate of sheltered exposure was higher than that of direct exposure. In direct exposure for I year, that is, the first 6 dry months and the next 6 rainy months, the corrosion rate decreased with time. but in sheltered exposure, the corrosion rate did not decrease with time. instead, increased in the next 6 rainy months. This indicated that the protect ive layer formed in the first 6 dry months could be destroyed by high deposition of chloride to r sheltered exposure in the next 6 rainy months; whereas the rust layer for direct exposure could be kept sound due to washing effect in rainy season, even though the deposition rate of chloride was almost the same for direct and sheltered exposures. In marine environment, the weathering steel showed higher corrosion resistance than carbon steel but its corrosion rate was higher than those in other environments.