Corrosion

This resource explains the causes of bimetallic corrosion in stainless steel which occurs when two dissimilar metals are in ‘electrical’ contact and are bridged by an electrically conductive liquid. The corrosion risks of metals often found in contact, such as stainless steel touching galvanised steel or aluminium, are considered for locations of various levels of corrosion. The discolouration (staining) effects on metals in contact are also discussed.

Provider: British Stainless Steel Association

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Published 24 November 2020

The resource is a report on corrosion of stainless steels in soils and concrete. Concerning soils, the classification and corrosivity of different soils, the corrosion resistance of stainless steels in soils and a basic guide for the correct selection of grade in inland and marine locations are given. Concerning concrete, a description describing how the elements within it lead to the corrosion of stainless steels and the corrosion resistance of each stainless steel family are given. In conclusion it is recommended that stainless steel structures in soil should be considered firstly in relation to the preserve of chloride ions and secondly according to their resistivity and pH. Stainless steels in concrete with a PRE > 19 should be satisfactory in most cases and in carbonate or chloride containing concrete, grade 1.4401 is suitable.

Date: 2002
Provider: Euro Inox

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Published 03 July 2020

With their exposure to high levels of salt, coastal waterfront locations are notorious for corrosion problems. Whether the location is in close proximity to saltwater, exposed to sea spray and splashing, or subject to occasional tidal storm surges, rapid corrosion can be a substantial concern. Buildings, railings, light poles and sculptures adjoining saltwater are at risk for issues ranging from premature aesthetic problems to outright structural failure.

Date: November 2007
Provider: The Construction Specifier

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Published 04 August 2020

Stainless steel is one of the most durable materials used in architecture, building and construction. With appropriate grade and finish selection, design, fabrication, and maintenance, the appearance and properties of stainless steel will remain unchanged over the life of a building. These properties make stainless steel a popular choice for buildings designed to last 50 or more years. Atmospheric corrosion, tarnishing, pitting, crevice corrosion, embedded iron, erosion/corrosion, galvanic corrosion, and stress corrosion cracking can all impact the performance and appearance of building materials. This paper discusses all of these issues and describes stainless steel’s performance relative to other construction materials.

Date: 2001
Provider: Nickel Institute

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Published 03 July 2020

Coastal salts can create a hostile environment for any construction material. Most building product selection advice assumes a moderately corrosive “typical” project site. Unfortunately, not all coastal sites are ‘typical’. When corrosion-free performance is needed to meet aesthetic requirements, how does a specifier know which stainless steel is required?

The factors influencing coastal atmospheric corrosion have been extensively studied, but many design professionals are often unaware of the research or how to apply it to their projects. This article helps differentiate between typical and more severe coastal locations during a site analysis.

Date: 2011
Provider: The Construction Specifier

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Published 04 August 2020

This resource is an article produced by Nancy Baddoo and Peter Cutler that explains how to select the most suitable stainless steel grade for indoor swimming pools. Firstly the article discusses the advantages of stainless steel in the highly corrosive environment of an indoor pool and describes some of the failures due to poor grade selection that have occurred in the last 10 years due to chloride stress corrosion cracking (SCC). The indoor swimming pool environment is then explained and the causes and processes behind SCC given. Stainless steel as a material is described and a table of characteristic properties of typical grades used in indoor swimming pools is presented. Finally guidance for grade selection based on the level of concern for SCC and positioning of the element is given, summarizing the suitable grades in each case. It is concluded that stainless steels remain the most appropriate material for indoor swimming pools but careful grade selection and periodic inspection on safety-critical, load-bearing elements is essential.

Date: 2004
Provider: British Stainless Steel Association

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Published 03 July 2020

This resource is a best practice guide for architects, designers, builders and pool managers on the successful use of stainless steel in swimming pool buildings. Stainless steels are well established as corrosion resistant materials for many items used in building and equipping swimming pools. For decades, stainless steels have had an excellent track record – typically specified for equipment in the pool water (ladders, wave machine grilles), and in environmental engineering plant control boxes, air handling equipment and fire dampers.  Note that the guidance contained in this publication on grade selection is now superseded following further research.

Date: 1995
Provider: Nickel Institute

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Published 03 July 2020

Material decay and corrosion are natural processes. Almost all materials will in one way or another decay over time. The effects of corrosion in our daily lives can be seen both in our households, but also in the infrastructure we use to e.g. travel from home to work or school and in the industrial facilities that produce what we need to have comfortable and healthy lives.

Even materials, which we believe to be resistant to corrosion like stainless steels, do corrode in certain circumstances. To protect materials from corrosion we first have to understand why it occurs after which we can find solutions to avoid it as much as possible.

Avoiding corrosion means we can save costs and in extreme situations even save lives.

worldstainless has two recorded webinars on the subject of corrosion available:

Chapter 1: https://youtu.be/0XYVQ5pelTU
Chapter 2: https://youtu.be/CPrwLxgxR0k

You can contact us at education@worldstainless.org with any questions you might have.

Published 10 August 2023