Application of Cathodic Protection Simulations in Hydrogen Embrittlement Risk Assessment

Abstract Cathodic protection (CP) systems are widely employed to prevent corrosion in metallic structures. Despite their effectiveness in corrosion risk mitigation, overprotection can result in hydrogen embrittlement (HE)—a phenomenon where hydrogen atoms penetrate metal, causing brittleness and potential failure. This study explores advanced cathodic protection simulation techniques for geometrically complicated structures, with a specific focus on their application in HE risk assessment. Through advanced computational modeling, we simulate the behavior of CP systems under various environmental conditions and material configurations. These simulations enable a deeper understanding of the interactions between cathodic protection and hydrogen absorption, diffusion, and trapping within metallic lattices. The study examines how different levels of CP current density, environmental factors, and metal types influence the risk of hydrogen embrittlement. The study highlights the challenges of overprotection, which can inadvertently exacerbate hydrogen evolution and uptake, leading to increased embrittlement risks. The findings demonstrate that optimized CP systems can significantly reduce the likelihood of hydrogen embrittlement by controlling hydrogen evolution rate at the metal-electrolyte interface and its ingress into the metal. This research provides valuable insights into the design and application of cathodic protection systems for critical infrastructure, offering guidelines to balance corrosion protection with the prevention of hydrogen embrittlement.