Corrosion Effects on Mechanical Properties of Steel Structures

Corrosion in steel structures arises from electrochemical reactions between the metal surface and its environment, leading to loss of cross-sectional area, alteration of surface morphology and localised damage such as pitting. Uniform corrosion uniformly reduces section thickness and gradually diminishes stiffness and ultimate strength, whereas localised attacks induce stress concentrations that accelerate crack initiation and fatigue failure. As corrosion advances, reductions in yield strength, ductility and load-bearing capacity become pronounced, often culminating in global or local buckling under compressive loads. The interaction between corrosion morphology and mechanical response has inspired the development of advanced measurement, modelling and testing techniques, including three-dimensional surface mapping, probabilistic rate estimation and finite-element simulations incorporating real-world corrosion profiles. Understanding these effects is vital for assessment of residual life, formulation of repair strategies and updating design codes across diverse sectors such as marine, offshore wind and infrastructure. Recent work has emphasised realistic environmental exposure studies alongside accelerated laboratory methods, yielding practical guidance for maintenance scheduling and safety assessment of ageing steel assets worldwide.

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Corrosion Effects on Mechanical Properties of Steel Structures publication trend

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Technical terms

Pitting corrosion: Localised metal loss forming cavities or “pits” that act as stress-concentration sites under load.

Buckling: Sudden lateral deflection or collapse of a member under compressive stress, often triggered by reduced stiffness.

Corrosion rate: Measure of material loss per unit time, often expressed in micrometres per year, used to predict residual life.

Residual strength: Remaining load-bearing capacity of a component after accounting for section loss and material degradation caused by corrosion.

References

1. Comparative analysis and applicability of corrosion test methods for construction steel components. Case Studies in Construction Materials (2023).
2. Three-Dimensional Surface Parameters and Multi-Fractal Spectrum of Corroded Steel. PLOS ONE (2015).
3. Long-Term Marine Environment Exposure Effect on Butt-Welded Shipbuilding Steel. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (2021).
4. Mechanical Behavior of Circular Steel Tubular Beam-Columns Corroded Uniformly in Atmospheric Environment. Applied Sciences (2020).
5. AN APPROACH TO THE PROBABILISTIC CORROSION RATE ESTIMATION MODEL FOR INNER BOTTOM PLATES OF BULK CARRIERS. Brodogradnja (2017).