Progress report on the corrosion behavior of selected stainless steels in soil environments

Abstract

Sagemoor Sandy Loam (Site A) is a well-drained alkaline soil with a resistivity of 400 ohm-cm and a pH of 8.8 and is typical of that found in vast areas of eastern Washington and Oregon. The site is located on the Yakima Indian Reservation near Toppenish, Washington. The soil is consistent in composition to a depth of at least 7 feet (2.13 m) and supports an abundant growth of sage-brush. Hagerstown Loam (Site B) is a well-drained soil representative of the majority of well-developed soils found in the eastern part of the United States. The site is located at the Loch Raven Reservoir of the Baltimore Water Department. The soil consists of a brown loam about 1 foot (0.30 m) deep, underlain by reddish-brown clay that extends about 5 feet (1.52 m) or more to underlying rock. The soil has a resistivity in the range of 12,600 to 37,300 ohm-cm and a pH of 5.3. Practically all of the materials that have been investigated in the extensive NBS soil corrosion tests have been exposed at this site which, therefore, can serve as a reference site for the correlation of data obtained for specimens in the present program with data obtained from the earlier tests. Clay (Site C) is located in a large clay pit on level land at the U. S. Coast Guard Receiving Center, Cape May, New Jersey, and is subject to flooding during heavy rains. The soil consists of a plastic gray clay to a depth of 6 inches (15.24 cm) underlain by gray clay mixed with patches of brown clay to a depth of 12 inches (30.48 cm). This is underlain by a poorly drained very heavy plastic clay in which the specimens are exposed. The soil has a resistivity which ranges from 400 to 1150 ohm-cm and a pH of 4.3. Lakewood Sand (Site D) is a white, loose sand with some black streaks occurring in places and supports an abundant growth of beach grasses. The site is located in a well-drained rolling area on the property of the U. S. Coast Guard Electronic Engineering Station, Wildwood, New Jersey. This site is not subject to overflow from the ocean except under unusual flood conditions. The sand has a pH of 5.7 and the resistivity ranges from 13,800 to 57,500 ohm-cm. Coastal Sand (Site E)is a typical white, coastal beach sand with a high content of black sand; at this site, however, the sand is constantly damp and is occasionally flooded with seawater. The site is located on the-2i Two-Mile Beach on the property of the U. S. Coast Guard Electronic Engineering Station, Wildwood, New Jersey. The sand has a pH of 7.1, and the resistivity ranges from 1,320 to 49,500 ohm-cm. Tidal Marsh (Site G) is a soil typical of the poorly-drained marsh soils that are found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The site is located along a creek (Pine Hill Run) that empties into the Chesapeake Bay at the Patuxent