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.