Monitoring Cathodic Shielding and Corrosion under Disbonded Coatings

Monitoring of corrosion is in most cases based on simulation of environmental conditions on a large and complex structure such as a buried pipeline using a small probe, and the measurement of thermodynamics and kinetics of corrosion processes occurring on the probe surface. This paper presents a hybrid corrosion monitoring probe designed for simulating deteriorating conditions wrought by disbonded coating and for measuring current densities and distribution of such densities on a simulated pipeline surface. The concept of the probe was experimentally evaluated using immersion tests under Cathodic Protection (CP) in high resistivity aqueous solution. Underneath the disbonded area, anodic currents and cathodic currents were carefully measured. Anodic current densities were used to calculate metal loss by manipulating Faraday’s law of induction. Calculated corrosion patterns were compared with corrosion damage observed at the surface of the probe after a series of stringent tests. The capability of the probe to measure anodic current densities under CP, without requiring interruption, was demonstrated in high resistivity aqueous solution. The pattern of calculated metal loss correlated well with corrosion products distribution observed at the array surface. Working principles of the probe are explained in terms of electrochemistry.