Hard foulers induced crevice corrosion of HSLA steel in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mannar (Bay of Bengal), India

Abstract

In the present study an attempt has been made to investigate the relationship between the variations in the fouling assemblage and corrosion behaviour of HSLA steel at three coastal locations in the Gulf of Mannar, India, over a period of 24 months. Oyster fouling was dominant in the Tuticorin open sea, while barnacles were the major foulants in the Tuticorin harbour and Mandapam. The fouling load in the Tuticorin waters was higher when compared to the Mandapam waters. The corrosion rates decreased progressively with the immersion time at all three test locations. In the Tuticorin open sea, the corrosion rates were higher when compared to the other two locations throughout the study period. The surface of the coupons was characterized by crevices beneath the hard foulers in the Tuticorin harbour and Mandapam, whereas in the Tuticorin open sea, the coupons experienced crevices of a tunneling nature. The percentage of the loss of the tensile strength increased with time at all the test locations.

Keywords

HSLA steel / coastal waters / weight loss / crevice corrosion / fouling / ultimate tensile strength