Application of accelerated cyclic test with synthetic ocean water salt-deposition process to the evaluation on corrosion characteristics of weathering steel

The corrosion of bridging structures affects their stiffness and load-carrying capacity. Hence, predicting the degree of corrosion is critical for their reliability and safety. This study examined the applicability of the newly developed accelerated corrosion test authorised by ISO 16539 Method B for evaluating the corrosion characteristics of the weathering structural steel. The non-coated weathering steel was subjected to 28, 84, and 168 days of accelerated cyclic corrosion test. The same steel material was subjected to atmospheric exposure tests for 6 and 12 months at different locations. The corrosion behaviours of these different tests were compared by the semivariogram analysis. The results indicated that the corroded surfaces of the non-coated weathering steel obtained from the accelerated cyclic corrosion test and atmospheric exposure tests have similar spatial characteristics. The accelerated cyclic corrosion test could simulate the corrosion behaviour of the weathering steel under actual environments.