Corrosion Rate Trajectories of Concreted Iron and Steel Shipwrecks and Structures in Seawater— The Weins Number

Authors

• Donald L. Johnson, National Park Service Submerged Resources CenterFollow
• D. J. Medlin, ESI, 5697 North 13th Street, Omaha, NE 68510
• L. E. Murphy, Archaeological Damage Investigation and Assessment
• J. D. Carr, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
• D. L. Conlin, National Park Service Submerged Resources Center

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2011

Citation

CORROSION—Vol. 67, No. 12

Comments

© 2011, NACE International

This document is a U.S. government work and is not subject to copyright in the United States.

Abstract

The Weins number (Wn) concept is proposed to predict the long-term corrosion rate of wrought iron and steel in seawater for variable marine environments. Plotted as a function of reciprocal absolute temperature, Weins numbers generate a linear plot from which the corrosion rates are calculated when temperature, oxygen concentration, and concretion thickness are known. Application of the theory of absolute reaction rates is described.