Page 342 - Challenges in Corrosion Costs Causes Consequences and Control(2015)
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320 CONSEQUENCES OF CORROSION
6. Use of new and improved materials.
7. Cost-effectiveness analysis of materials and protective treatments leading to
procurement on the basis of life-cycle costs.
8. Previous feedback on service performance.
9. Improved specifications for protective treatments.
10. Basic research on corrosion mechanisms.
11. Improved communications between government departments.
12. Improved storage facilities.
13. Information on corrosion sensitivity of equipment.
14. Better nondestructive testing techniques.
15. Standardization of components.
16. More frequent or longer duration maintenance periods.
The single most important factor to reduce corrosion costs in the United Kingdom
was better dissemination of existing corrosion control information and measures.
The preventive strategies to reduce corrosion costs consisted of: (i) information
dissemination and corrosion awareness; (ii) education and training; (iii) research and
development.
Although a great amount of corrosion control information and strategies were
available in the United Kingdom, only certain industries such as oil and chemical
industries and aircraft and nuclear power industries paid attention to corrosion in the
design stage.
These industries either needed corrosion control to enable a process to work or
intended to avoid accidents because of corrosion damage.
The four principal reasons for corrosion problems are the following:
1. Lack of foresight.
2. Lack of information dissemination.
3. Minimum initial capital outlay.
4. Lack of basic knowledge.
The UK report recommended to: (i) establish a national corrosion and protection
center; (ii) provide education and training; (iii) provide better research opportunities
and avenues; (iv) develop closer links between technical and trade organizations.
A survey on the cost of corrosion was conducted in 1977 and a report was pub-
lished by the Committee on Corrosion and Protection (4). The annual cost of corro-
sion to Japan was 2.5 trillion yen (US $9.2 billion) in 1974. The GNP of Japan in 1974
was 136 trillion yen, and the cost of corrosion was 1–2% of Japan’s GNP for 1974.
This cost is a direct cost. Indirect costs would be much higher. Japan’s committee
estimated the cost of corrosion by: (i) corrosion protection products and services and
(ii) corrosion cost by industry sector. The Uhlig method determined the costs pri-
marily on the basis of the cost of corrosion protection products and services such
as coatings, inhibitors, corrosion-resistant materials, and cathodic protection. The