Engineering Commons^™

Effects Of Soil Properties On Cp Performance, Cecilia Segretario

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research aims to evaluate the affect of various soil properties on the effectiveness of cathodic protection (CP) in preventing underground pipeline corrosion. Metal coupons of common pipeline materials with applied CP will be mounted in several separate controlled soil environments to manipulate real world underground corrosion scenarios. Each soil environment will have different physical properties by mixing the soil with a prepared chemical solution. The physical properties to be evaluated include pH, resistivity, and moisture content. At the end of a corrosion duration, weight loss method will be used to evaluate the corrosion rate over that period. Additionally, the …

Comsol Simulation Of Pipeline Corrosion With Cathodic Protection, Ethan Scalzo

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Cathodic protection (CP) is a widely used technique to mitigate corrosion in buried steel pipelines. This study uses COMSOL Multiphysics to model and analyze the performance of both sacrificial anode and impressed current systems in a simulated 3D environment. The model solves for pipeline potential, current density, and corrosion rate within a surrounding soil domain to assess protection coverage across the pipeline. Simulations were conducted to evaluate the influence of electrode and electrolyte properties on CP effectiveness. The study demonstrates that COMSOL Multiphysics is an effective tool for modeling CP systems, offering insights that align with established industry practices. While …

Quantifying The Effectiveness Of Rhamnolipid As A Biocide: Assessing Comparability Of A Modified Solution, Rosemary Sterling

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The CO2 induced corrosion of carbon steel in oil and gas pipelines, exacerbated by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), poses a serious threat to infrastructure. This study evaluates the effectiveness of rhamnolipid (RhL), a biosurfactant, as a corrosion inhibitor and potential SRB biocide in simulated pipeline environments. Using a Postgate-C Modified Produced Water Simulant, which demonstrated electrochemical behavior comparable to industry-standard solutions while sustaining SRB, corrosion trials were conducted with and without RhL. Mass loss and electrochemical data revealed that RhL significantly reduced corrosion rates—by 85% on average and up to 99% instantaneously in a 4-day trial. Visual and analytical results from …

Development, Characterization And Testing Of Traditonal And Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cladding Materials, Joshua Eddy Rittenhouse

Doctoral Dissertations

Kanthal D and FeCrAl alloys in general, are prospective candidates as accident tolerant nuclear fuel cladding materials. The work presented herein focuses on applying two techniques of severe plastic deformation, equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) and high-pressure torsion (HPT), as means of grain refinement to improve irradiation resistance. Samples of as-received, ECAP, and HPT processed Kanthal D were exposed to neutron irradiation to a dose of 2 DPA at two different temperatures, 300 °C and 500 °C. Detailed characterization was performed including mechanical and microstructural, and several positive improvements with regards to irradiation resistance were identified in the ECAP and …

Identification Of Corrosion Damage, Vibration, And Loose Conections In Aircraft Data Transmission Lines Using Reflected And Transmitted Signals; Formulation Of Vegetable Oil-Based Nanofluids As Cutting Fluids For Mql Machining, Saidanvardzhon Valiev

Doctoral Dissertations

This research presents a novel Frequency Domain Transmitometry (FDT) method that uses transmitted signals (S21) to detect and characterize aircraft data transmission lines (ADTL) corrosion damage without additional reflectometry circuitry. Corrosion experiments were conducted according to ASTM G85-A5 over 14 weeks. Combined FDT and reflected signals (S11) analyses revealed distinct three-peak signatures associated with damage and corrosion. The square root of the Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the FDT damage peak and the Full Width at Three-Quarter Maximum (FW3QM) of the S11 damage peak is correlated with corrosion propagation depth and width. S11 signals were further used for vibration …

Potential Of Lidar And Hyperspectral Sensing For Overcoming Challenges In Current Maritime Ballast Tank Corrosion Inspection, Sergio Pallas Enguita, Jiajun Jiang, Chung-Hao Chen, Samuel Kovacic, Richard Lebel

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Corrosion in maritime ballast tanks is a major driver of maintenance costs and operational risks for maritime assets. Inspections are hampered by complex geometries, hazardous conditions, and the limitations of conventional methods, particularly visual assessment, which struggles with subjectivity, accessibility, and early detection, especially under coatings. This paper critically examines these challenges and explores the potential of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) to form the basis of improved inspection approaches. We discuss LiDAR’s utility for accurate 3D mapping and providing a spatial framework and HSI’s potential for objective material identification and surface characterization based on spectral …

Laser Ablation-Induced Corrosion Resistance For Molten Salt Equipment Materials Evaluated Utilizing Electrochemical And Spectroscopic Analysis, Peggy Milota

Theses and Dissertations

Advanced reactors and used nuclear fuel separation (i.e. pyroprocessing technology) utilize high temperature salt as a thermal storage medium as well as an ionic solution for electrochemical processes. The use of these aggressive molten chloride and fluoride mediums requires specific materials or additional system alterations to extend the lifetime and structural integrity of equipment due to corrosion. Some materials, in the presence of inherently impure salt, will corrode and form oxide films in a specific formation that decreases corrosion rate by electrochemically and physically preventing elemental movement to the material surface. This is referred to as a passivation layer. However, …

Inspection Program Effectiveness Key Performance Indicator For Pressurized Static Equipment Integrity At Offshore Platform, Teuku Ahmad Haekal, Johny Wahyuadi Soedarsono, Badrul Munir, Muhammad Yudi Masduky Sholihin

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

One of the key challenges in asset integrity management system at offshore platform is the lack of visibility regarding performance issues and program effectiveness. Without proper performance measurement systems, it becomes difficult to address positive or negative trends promptly and for management to stay informed about the status and the impact of the inspection program. Therefore, Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is needed to measure inspection program effectiveness to prevent undesirable equipment failures that could lead to Loss of Primary Containment (LOPC) or Process Safety Event (PSE). The developed KPI is the ratio of the number of non-leak inspection findings with …

Comparative Analysis Of Risk-Based And Time-Based Inspection Application In Hydrocarbon And Chemical Industries: A Review, Azizar Azizar, Nofrijon Sofyan

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

RBI and TBI strategies are comparatively reviewed in terms of their contribution to maintaining asset integrity for asset owners in the hydrocarbon and chemical industries. The objective is to assess various methods on a cost-efficient and risk-managed operational safety basis. It utilizes common industry standards such as API 580 for RBI, and API 510, API 570, and API 653 for TBI, and also case studies and literature analysis. The analysis of data was conducted to examine how each approach deals with inspection planning and decision-making. They suggest that RBI's risk-based prioritization strategy leads to more effective management of high-risk assets, …

Structural Behavior Of Corroded Reinforced Concrete Beam Elements Repaired With Fabric-Reinforced Matrix Composites, Youssef Ibrahim Elmezayen

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Advanced methods for rehabilitation of reinforced concrete (RC) beams with corroded reinforcement were designed and implemented in this research. The nonlinear flexural and shear behaviors of RC beams with corroded reinforcement repaired with fabric-reinforced matrix (FRM) composites were investigated. Numerical simulation models were developed to predict the flexural response of flexure-deficient continuous RC beams before and after repair with FRM composites. A novel sustainable repair solution that involves the use of cement-free geopolymeric matrix reinforced with nonmetallic fabrics was also introduced for rehabilitation of shear-critical RC beams with corroded stirrups. Simplified and easy-to-use analytical approaches were adopted to estimate the …

Structural Behavior Of Corroded Reinforced Concrete Beam Elements Repaired With Fabric-Reinforced Matrix Composites, Youssef Ibrahim Elmezayen

Dissertations

Advanced methods for rehabilitation of reinforced concrete (RC) beams with corroded reinforcement were designed and implemented in this research. The nonlinear flexural and shear behaviors of RC beams with corroded reinforcement repaired with fabric-reinforced matrix (FRM) composites were investigated. Numerical simulation models were developed to predict the flexural response of flexure-deficient continuous RC beams before and after repair with FRM composites. A novel sustainable repair solution that involves the use of cement-free geopolymeric matrix reinforced with nonmetallic fabrics was also introduced for rehabilitation of shear-critical RC beams with corroded stirrups. Simplified and easy-to-use analytical approaches were adopted to estimate the …

Experimental Investigations On Mechanical Wear And Corrosion Behaviour Of Sintered Atomet 4601 Based Hybrid Alloys, Palaksha Reddy K

Theses and Dissertations

Powder metallurgy enables the development of new materials to manufacture products for applications requiring unique properties. The present research initially investigates the mechanical and tribological behaviour of powder metallurgy alloys made from ATOMET 4601 prealloyed powder and varying amounts of elemental carbon (0, 0.5, and 1.0 wt%) as reinforcement. ATOMET 4601 is a high-strength, water-atomized prealloyed powder capable of being compressed to higher densities, with applications in producing near-net or net-shaped parts for the industrial field.

Mechanical behaviour studies on sinter-forged ATOMET 4601, ATOMET 4601+0.5C, and ATOMET 4601+1.0C alloy steels revealed increased hardness, tensile strength, and impact strength, with ATOMET …

Spot, Zone And Overcoat Painting Of Steel Bridges, Christopher Goff, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Over the past 25 – 30 years, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has replaced lead-based coatings on many bridges, often with zinc-based systems. But many of these coating systems are now degrading and reaching the ends of their service lives. Historically, KYTC has relied entirely on remove-and-replace painting, however, given the programmatic costs associated with remove-and-replace painting and constraints imposed by limited funding, the agency needs to explore more economical options, such as spot, zone, and overcoat painting. This report discusses use cases for spot, zone, and overcoat painting and lays out guidelines staff can use to determine what method …

Tribological Analysis Of Heat Treatments On Medical Grade Cobalt Chromium Molybdenum Alloys, Samuel Edis Bowden

Theses and Dissertations

Cobalt chromium molybdenum (CoCrMo) has many material properties that make it desirable as a medical hip implant. Due to the range of heat treatments available and the resulting material properties that are present in medical device manufacturing using CoCrMo, many implants are not able to withstand both the chemical and physical wear necessary as a hip replacement. This research looks to examine various heat treatments and their resulting properties to find a desirable heat treatment for CoCrMo in hip implant bearing surfaces. This study was accomplished by using five distinct variations of heat treatment on forged CoCrMo alloy that would …

The Future Of Fiberglass Rebar In Concrete Structures, Dillon Michael Elliott

Construction Management

In the working elements of the construction industry, the strive for materials that aim for strength, durability, and sustainability are never-ending. For traditional steel reinforcement this material faces inevitable challenges over time such as corrosion, weight of material, and environmental concerns. However with the emergence of fiberglass rebar, the negative impacts we see from traditional steel rebar may be resolved within the industry of construction. This paper aims to explore and propose a different alternative to reinforcement in concrete structures with the use and integration of fiberglass. The effectiveness which fiberglass as a reinforcement material offers will be investigated throughout …

Analysis Of The Effect Of Different Surface Preparation Methods On Corrosion Resistance And Adhesion Strength Of Astm A36 Steel Substrate With Surface Tolerant Epoxy Paint As Coating Material, Irwan Wijaya Santoso, Daffa Aqila, Rini Riastuti, Rizal Tresna Ramadhani

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

In the industrial world, to extend the service life of materials, protection methods are carried out to slow down the material's corrosion rate. The protection method that is often used is the coating method. The coating method is a protection method by coating the substrate material using a coating material to prevent contact between the substrate material and the environment. In this research, the substrate material used is ASTM A36 steel and the coating material used is Surface Tolerant Epoxy paint. The independent variable used in this study lies in the surface preparation method which consists of: solvent cleaning, hand …

Tin-Silver As A Novel Biodegradable Metallic Biomaterial, Charley Goodwin

All Dissertations

The Essure device is a non-hormonal, minimally-invasive, permanent female sterilization implant, removed from the market due to an increase in adverse events, hypothesized to be caused by corrosion of the Sn-Ag component of the implant. The goals of this dissertation were to first develop implant retrieval methods for Essure devices and surrounding tissue, documenting signs of degradation and metallic degradation products, then to characterize the electrochemical behavior of Sn-Ag in biologically representative environments and finally, to assess the biological interaction of Sn-Ag. Retrieval analyses developed successful methods, qualifying the degree of corrosion, primarily of the Sn-Ag component and finding Sn …

Study Of Kinetics Of Hydrocarbon Gas Purification With Composite Absorbents, Oybek Aripdjanov, Shavkat Nurullaev, Shodiyakhon Azimova

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim of the work is to improve the process of natural gas purification from acidic components using a composite absorbent. To study the sorption of acidic components in the gas composition, a chromatographic analysis method was used. The kinetics and rate of corrosion of carbon steel grade st.10 when using composite absorbents MDEA +DEA + AVRP have been studied. The results of the study show that the volume of absorption increased from 0.55 mol/mol to 0.65 mol/mol, and the amount of H₂S in the purified gas decreased from 0.022 g/m³ to 0.014 g/m³. Corrosion …

Corrosion And Passivation Behavior Of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Produced Ti-6al-4v Under Various Prior Plastic Deformation Strains, P. Qin, L. Y. Chen, Y. J. Liu, S. X. Liang, H. Sun, L. C. Zhang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This work investigated the corrosion behavior of LPBF-produced Ti-6Al-4V under varying compression strains in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. It identifies that increasing compression strain causes significant alterations in the acicular a'-Ti phase (coarsening, breakage, and further coarsening). Corrosion resistance decreases with higher strains due to deformed a'-Ti phases, leading to increased film growth kinetics (from 0.09× 10−10 cm2/s increase to 12.75 × 10−10 cm2/s). Samples under higher strains (e.g., 32%) exhibit fluctuations in corrosion behavior due to initiated cracks and subsequent crevice corrosion. These findings are vital for understanding LPBF-produced Ti-6Al-4V in applications requiring mechanical strength and corrosion resilience.

Change Of Metal Oxidation State At High Temperature, Impact Of Temperature And Reactive Gases, Yegor Nikitin

Dissertations and Theses

The fundamental understanding of gas-solid reactions enables a wide range of applications to be developed and improved. Specifically, the use of metal-based materials is critical to ensuring robust, safe, and long-term operations. For example, in power systems where boilers are used to generate steam for heat or electricity generation the use of stainless metal alloys is critical to allow high quality steam to be produced in a very harsh environment. Alternatively, in catalysis, the use of metal doped heterogeneous catalysts are essential in achieving selectivity and conversion performance for chemical synthesis to emissions abatement. Typically, these metal alloys must withstand …

Effects Of Ac Interference On Pipelines Under Cathodic Protection And Cathodic Disbondment Of Pipeline Coatings, Tanner Laughorn

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project is split into two parts. The first revolves around AC interference on pipeline steel under cathodic protection. The corrosion rate of steel samples will be measured after they are exposed to varying levels of AC interference and cathodic protection. The results will be used to help develop new guidelines for appropriate cathodic protection of steel pipelines. The second part of this project revolves around the cathodic disbondment of pipeline coatings while under cathodic protection. The disbondment distance, electrolyte pH, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy will be tested for multiple industry standard coatings under various conditions. The results will be …

Alloy Corrosion Resistance Project, Noah Gourley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This Honors Research Project aims to determine the material performance of two metal alloys – 316L and Alloy 20CB-3 – in terms of corrosion resistance. The project will answer the following research questions: What effect do phosphoric acid and heptanoic acid solutions have on the passive film of 316L and Alloy 20CB-3 metal alloys? How do the metal alloys resist corrosion under flow conditions of the acids? What is the viability of these alloys to be used in a chemical process involving these acids?

Corrosion Inhibitors: Mitigating The Degradation Of Rebar, Jake R. Hughes

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Our conjecture was twofold: first, that two compounds historically used as food preservatives could act as environmentally friendly inhibitors against rebar corrosion, and second, that molecular properties have a quantifiable influence on inhibition efficiency (%IE). To evaluate the two compounds, cyclic potentiodynamic polarization was used to determine corrosion current density (i_corr) and %IE. The “green” inhibitor candidates included sodium metabisulfite and ascorbic acid, which yielded maximum %IE values of -123900% and 91%, respectively. Results indicated that sodium metabisulfite is not a suitable inhibitor, while ascorbic acid showed potential to extend reinforced concrete’s design life without posing health or …

Passive Wireless Corrosion And Temperature Detection In High-Temperature Environments, Noah Lane Strader

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This work focuses on the theory and development of LC sensors for high temperature and corrosion measurement for stainless steel and copper surfaces with power industry and general corrosion detection applications. The LC resonators were fabricated via screen printing an Ag inductor on an alumina substrate. The LC design was modeled using the ANSYS HFSS modeling package. The LC passive wireless sensors operate with resonant frequencies centered at 85-110 MHz. The wireless response of the LC sensor was interrogated and received by a radio frequency signal generator and spectrum analyzer at temperatures from 50-800 °C for copper ground planes and …

Designing And Characterizing New Coating Materials To Increase The Corrosion Resistance Of Steel Reinforcement Embedded In Concrete, Homero Castaneda Lopez

Publications

To develop a sustainable and durable rebar on different elements of the RC as a corrosion control system in regions where corrosion is the leading risk for the infrastructure system. The outcome of this research leads to a comprehensive report that provides methods, testing results, peer review papers, conference proceedings, and guidance for the utilization of rebar for corrosion control actions in RC, capable of long-term performance in harsh corrosive environments (deicing cycle conditions). Workforce development will also take place through a series of outreach activities targeting the broader audience of corrosion, civil, and materials engineers, and potential industrial partners …

A Review Of Emerging Sensor Technologies For Tank Inspection: A Focus On Lidar And Hyperspectral Imaging And Their Automation And Deployment, Sergio Pallas Enguita, Chung-Hao Chen, Samuel Kovacic

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper reviews various sensor technologies for tank inspection, focusing on Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) as advanced solutions for corrosion detection. These technologies are evaluated alongside traditional methods such as ultrasonic, electromagnetic, and thermographic inspections. This review highlights their potential to enhance inspection accuracy, reduce the limitations of manual inspection, and support integrated data analysis for comprehensive asset management. Additionally, this paper proposes a pathway for automating these techniques to streamline inspection processes and improve implementation in practical applications.

Investigating The Influence Of Surface Finishing Methods On Corrosion Of Additively Manufactured Ss316l, Joshua R. Fadeley

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Additive Manufacturing (AM), namely with metal, has seen a surge in growth and interest over recent years. A wide array of industries is developing new products to take advantage of this budding technology. In order to enable adoption of this technology, understanding of the differences of AM versus traditional manufacturing on the resultant materials properties of printed components is important. The work done for this study fell into two separate categories of work.

The first effort of this work involved the installation, certification, and operation of the first laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) printer at the Center for Advanced Energy …

Ti-6al-4v Β Phase Selective Dissolution: In Vitro Mechanism And Prediction, Michael A Kurtz

All Dissertations

Retrieval studies document Ti-6Al-4V β phase dissolution within total hip replacement systems. A gap persists in our mechanistic understanding and existing standards fail to reproduce this damage. This thesis aims to (1) elucidate the Ti-6Al-4V selective dissolution mechanism as functions of solution chemistry, electrode potential and temperature; (2) investigate the effects of adverse electrochemical conditions on additively manufactured (AM) titanium alloys and (3) apply machine learning to predict the Ti-6Al-4V dissolution state. We hypothesized that (1) cathodic activation and inflammatory species (H₂O₂) would degrade the Ti-6Al-4V oxide, promoting dissolution; (2) AM Ti-6Al-4V selective dissolution would occur …

Effects Of Perforations On Internal Cathodic Protection And Recruitment Of Marine Organisms To Steel Pipes, Alexander John Paluzzi

Theses and Dissertations

Steel monopile support structures for offshore wind turbines require protection from corrosion on their external and internal surfaces. Cathodic protection (CP) works effectively to protect the external surfaces of monopiles, but internally, byproducts from aluminum sacrificial anode CP (SACP) and impressed current CP (ICCP) induce acidification that accelerates steel corrosion. This project investigated the effects of perforations on the performance of aluminum SACP and ICCP when used inside of steel pipes. Additionally, marine growth on the external and internal surfaces of the pipes was assessed to determine if CP byproducts affect marine organism development.

Two sealed and two perforated steel …

Mechanisms Contributing To Hydrogen-Influenced Early Failure Of Bridge Tendons, David Dukeman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Failures in post-tensioned tendons have occurred without warning due to fractures in the high-strength steel strands. These strands are cold-drawn to increase their strength while still retaining the preferential ductile mode of fracture. Recently, a tendon failure that occurred in an upper deviation block of the I-526 James B. Edwards bridge crossing the Wando river showed signs of corrosion and potentially another method of failure, hydrogen embrittlement. One proposed source of hydrogen is through galvanic coupling that may exist between the galvanized steel duct and the steel strands. This coupling, if substantial, can promote hydrogen evolution at the steel strand's …