Galvanized steel has been widely applied in different applications and the industry significantly increased its production in recent years. Some galvanized structures can be completely or partially buried, such as transmission tower footings. The corrosion of these metallic structures is related to the soil chemical and physicochemical properties, which define the aggressiveness of the environment. To assess the effect of the soil moisture on galvanized steel corrosion, a comparative study was carried out. Carbon steel coupons, with or without galvanization, were buried in clay soil collected from an industrial region in the northeast of Brazil. The chemical, physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of the soil were determined. The thickness of the galvanized coating was measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Corrosion tests were conducted in different soil moisture conditions using the following techniques: potentiodynamic polarization curves and gravimetric tests. The results showed the influence of soil moisture on corrosion rates. The electroplating decreased corrosion rates, especially when the coupons were exposed to low moisture soil.

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The calcareous deposits formed under commonly applied cathodic protection techniques on coated and uncoated carbon steel samples immersed in Guanabara Bay for 150 days, simulating ships and pipelines, were investigated. Potentials were monitored throughout the analysis, and deposits were examined by visual inspection, optical microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. Beyond calcite, aragonite, and brucite, which are crystals commonly reported in laboratory tests or under confined space conditions, herein, also calcite‐II and calcite‐III were identified as intermediate crystalline structures. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that biological activity also plays an important role, forming calcareous tubular structures within the deposit.