Corrosion Rates, Wetness, and Pollutants on Exterior of Building

Abstract

The corrosion of steel and copper and two of its parameters (time of wetness and dry SO2 deposition) were measured at 44 locations on a building in Montréal over a period of seven months during autumn and winter. Depending on the location, the corrosion rates change around the building by a factor of three for copper and a factor of five for steel. The dry‐deposition rate of sulfur dioxides changes by a factor of three, and the time of wetness by at least two orders of magnitude. The two metals respond very differently to the same corrosion conditions at the same location. The results show the importance of and the complexity of the interaction of a building and its materials with the microclimates generated locally by the size, orientation, and design features of the building. Standard racks for measuring the atmospheric corrosion/degradation can be used to obtain the highest corrosion/degradation rates and the highest values of the two measured parameters on the exterior of the building.