Corrosion Potential of Soils

For geotechnical engineers, it’s very important subject

Metal corrosion in undisturbed soils is generally very low regardless of

the soil composition (e.g. metal piles, reinforcement of foundation etc.)

Corrosion of metal (steel) in disturbed soils (e.g., buried pipelines that

are backfilled) is strongly affected by soil conditions & properties.

Soil changes its chemical and physical nature continuously over time
and seasonally.

Pipeline damage
from pitting/corrosion
 Soil Characteristics & Environmental Variables

• Chloride content
• Moisture content
• Oxygen content/Redox potential
• Soil permeability/texture
• pH/Acidity
• Temperature
• Soil resistivity
• Drainage characteristics
• Sulfate/Sulfite ion concentrations
• Microbiological activity
• Stray currents (from cathodic protection, DC traction
system viz., train, metro)
• Spillage of corrosive substance/pollution
 Soil Classification/Texture

Clay in the soil mass reduces movement of air (oxygen) and water, i.e.
low aeration, when wet, and hence increase in local (pitting) corrosion.

High plasticity of clay (swelling/shrinking soils) can pull off susceptible

coatings on the structures.

Clay is susceptible to cracking (during wetting-drying cycles) which

helps transport of air and moisture to the structures buried in it.

Sand promotes aeration and moisture distribution & hence, soluble

salts and gases (air/oxygen) are easily transported to structures,
causing greater general corrosion but less pitting.
 Bored Cast in-situ piles

Chloride and Sulphate content of water found well within prescribed

limit & hence water not corrosive.

Ryzner index (RI) of water was found out to be 7.7 & hence water is
corrosive and unsaturated

Reinforcement in concrete pile exposed due to leaching of concrete

 pH scale for Soils

Ryznar Index
Determines the degree of scale formation
RI = 2 pHs – pH
RI < 5.5 heavy scale will form
5.5 < RI < 6.2 scale will form
6.8 < RI < 8.5 water is corrosive
Langelier Saturation Index (LI) RI > 8.5 water is very corrosive
Determines if calcium carbonate will precipitate or not
LI = pH – pHs

pH = actual pH value measured in the water

pHs = pH of the water in equilibrium with solid CaCO3

If LI > 0 calcium carbonate will precipitate

If LI < 0 calcium carbonate won’t precipitate

The CaCO3 layer deposited on surfaces acts as a protective coating.

ASSESSMENT OF CORROSION POTENTIAL OF SOILS

Durability of underground structures is seriously affected by corrosion of

the concrete (IS: 456-2000)

Specifications for type of cement, minimum cement content, maximum

water-cement ratio, etc., to be adopted stringently, based on the exposure
of the concrete to different concentrations of sulphates in the soil or
ground water.

However, for assessment of corrosion potential of underground structures,

chemical properties of the soil need to be considered in details.

Corrosion is an electrochemical process

Certain conditions must exist for the corrosion to occur (corrosion cell)

Effects of soil characteristics on corrosion

By Victor Chaker, J. David Palmer
ASTM Committee G-1 on Corrosion of Metals
 The “Corrosion cell”
Metallic connection
Soil  Electrolyte
Electric current Therefore properties of soils play a crucial role
in accelerating corrosion.

Corrosion Properties of soils:

Electrical resistivity
pH
moisture content
Electrochemical Porosity
reaction sulphate and chlorides content
redox potential
presence of micro-organism
temperature
Cathode Anode
are important for evaluating the corrosion
Soil (Electrolyte) potential of soils (DIN 50929-3).

For corrosion, the elements that are soluble in water are important:
– Base forming: Na, K, Ca, Mg (raise pH).
– Acid forming: Carbonate, Bicarbonate, Chloride ion, Nitrate, and Sulfate (lower pH).
Based on different soil characteristics, a certain rating (R1 to
R6) for the soils has been assigned and the sum of these
ratings is a measure of the overall soil corrosivity.

Rating based on the soil fraction

Rating based on the electrical resistivity

Rating based on the pH

Rating Based on the ground water status

Rating based on the sulphite content

Rating based on the chloride content

 Rating based on the soil fraction Rating based on the electrical resistivity

% by Resistivity (.m) R2
Soil fraction R1
weight >500 +4
Clay & silt <10 +4 200 to 500 +2
10 to 30 +2 50 to 200 0
30 to 50 0 20 to 50 -2
50 to 80 -2 10 to 20 -4
>80 -4 <10 -6
Organic matter, e.g.:
muddy or swampy Higher conductivity: high corrosion rate
>5 -12 (efficient electrolyte)
soils:
peat, mud, marsh
Severely polluted: Rating based on the pH
due to fuel ash, slag
- -12
coal, coke, refuse, PH R3
rubbish or waste water >9 +2
5.5 to 9 0
4.0 to 5.5 -1
<4 -3
 Rating Based on the ground water status
Rating based on the sulphite content
Ground water status R4
Sulphite content (g/l) R5
No groundwater 0
<0.15 0
Groundwater -1
0.15 to 1 -2
Groundwater at times -2
1 to 2 -4
>2 -6

Rating based on the chloride content

Chloride content (ppm) R6 Total assessment of the corrosion potential
<100 0 Summation of R1- R6 Corrosion
100-2000 -2 R potential
2000-10000 -4 Virtually not
0
corrosive
>10000 -6
Slightly
-1 to -4
corrosive
Chloride ions: Cause pitting of steel
and decrease soil resistivity. -5 to -10 Corrosive
Highly
< -10
corrosive
 Soil Corrosivity based on Redox (Reduction-Oxidation) Potential
ORP (Oxidation Reduction Potential)
Dissolved Oxygen concentration in the soil moisture determines its RP(potential
diff. between the electrodes), higher the oxygen content, higher would be the RP

The difference in the RP may lead to the formation of the “corrosion cell”

Low soil RP indicates conditions conducive to anaerobic microbiological activities.

RP varies with time, moisture content variations, micro-organism activities etc.

RP measurements may not be accurate assessment of corrosion potential of soils.

In well aerated soils, Fe3+ exhibits red, yellow, and brown colors.
In poorly aerated soils, the oxygen content is low & soils are gray in color due to
reduced state of the Fe.

Redox Potential (mV) (Std. H Scale) Aeration Corrosivity

>400 strong aeration Noncorrosive
200 to 400 Aeration Weak
100 to 200 weak aeration Moderate
0-100 Non to weak Severe
Negative Not aerated Extremely sever