Deterioration Rates of Metal and Concrete Structures in Coastal Environment of the South and Northeast Brazil: Case Studies in the Pontal do Sul, PR, and Costa do Sauípe, Bahia

Abstract

This research presents a comparative study between two Brazilian regions with different characteristics that is the case of the South coastal area Pontal do Sul (ACS PS), located on the Paraná State and Costa do Sauípe (ACS CS), located in the Bahia, Brazil. For this, were installed 2 atmospheric corrosion stations (ACS) and exposed 4 specimens of metals (aluminum, carbon steel, galvanized steel and copper) used in distribution networks, and reinforced concrete structures like utility crosshead to test the performance of additives such as silica fume, metakaolin, tire rubber and polymeric fibers, and assess both quantitative and qualitative means of aggression against corrosion from the atmosphere in function of time exposition. During this, there was the monthly monitoring of the levels of chloride and sulfate, as well as meteorological data, in order to obtain subsidies for classification of atmospheric corrosivity. The ACS PS was classified as rural atmosphere, the lowest category of aggressiveness (C1), based on the time of wetness and the concentration of pollutants while ACS CS was described as marine (C 4). The most suitable material for this region was the aluminum, followed by galvanized steel. Already, on ACS PS, copper degraded less than the other, on average.