Atmospheric Corrosion of Steel on the Australian Pacific Central Coast

Comprehensive data are presented for corrosion losses of mild steel exposed for up to 5 years, all obtained from exposing steel coupons at one specific severe marine exposure site on the Pacific Ocean coast. The test programme considered the effects of duration of exposure, inclination, orientation, height, shielding, and coupon variability, using multiple, nominally identical mild steel coupons, all under a single local climatic regime. Such a controlled, consistent, natural environment permits unique, valid comparison of the various influences, both for short-term and longer-term exposures, unlike previous tests of some parameters conducted in the short term at disparate sites. In contrast to coupons exposed only on one side, boldly exposed double-sided coupons corroded severely within 3 years. The effects on corrosion behaviour between individual coupons exposed at different heights and vertical continuous single strips of steel are described. Also reported are corrosion losses for continuous strips and for a series of coupons oriented in different directions. Observations of variability in corrosion losses for nominally identically exposed steel coupons are reported. The effect on corrosion losses with continued exposure to 5 years is reported and compared with information available in the literature.