CORROSION AND

DETERIORATION OF
BUILDING MATERIALS
DETERIORATION OF MATERIALS

Conventional engineering materials

are not able to serve at their full
potential at long periods of time,
that is, they get deteriorated during
the service.

The reasons for deteriorating of

metals can be physical, mechanical,
chemical, weather etc.
• Corrosion is a naturally occurring phenomenon
commonly defined as the deterioration of
a material (usually a metal) that results from a
chemical or electrochemical reaction with its
environment.
or
• corrosion is the natural deterioration that results
when a surface reacts with its environment.
• Oxygen and moisture are the chief agents
responsible for corrosion.
CORROSION

• It is a natural process which

converts a refined metal to a
more stable form such as its oxide,
hydroxide or sulphide.

• It is a gradual destruction of
material by chemical or electro-
chemical , physical or biological
reaction with the environment.

• Deterioration of building materials and corrosion of materials occur not only in

natural environment like air, water and soil but also in environments polluted by
industrial, agricultural and municipal wastes in the form of gases, solutions and
solids.

• Materials also undergo degradation in the absence of external factors through

the effects of the structure failure of the material and changes in the physical
and chemical properties of the material.
 CAUSES
PHYSICAL CHEMICAL BIOLOGICAL
FACTORS FACTORS FACTORS
• Mechanical attrition • Exposure to • Insects
of material surface aggressive chemical
components • Bacteria
• Embrittlement
• Presence of pollutants • Fungi
• Failure of components in the environment
due to fatigue stress or
other irreversible • Absorption of acidic
change of shape gases

• Interaction of UV • Volume change due

radiation to chemical reaction
with contaminants
• Repeated freezing with chemical pores
and thawing process
 EFFECTS OF CORROSION

Demanding use of
Shortening of service Higher economic Usefulness of
more valuable and
life impact structure
expensive material

PRINCIPAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MOST MATERIAL DAMAGE MECHANISMS

Chemical The specific Medium in

Texture of the Roughness of
properties of the surface of the which the
material surface materials
surface exposed area material is found

TYPES OF METAL CORROSION

Uniform Inter Selective

Galvanic Crevice Pitting Erosion
(rust) granular leaching
Types Description Counter measure
Uniform • Most common form • Painting
corrosion • occurs over entire exposed
surface
• Less detrimental
• Easy to monitor and control

Galvanic • Occurs when two metals • Insulation

corrosion with different EMF are • Pairing metals with
electrically connected of less difference
which, one gets corroded. between their EMF.

Crevice • Crevice Corrosion refers to • welding instead of

corrosion the localized attack on a riveting
metal surface at, or • removing scales
immediately adjacent to,
the gap or crevice between
two joining surfaces.
• The gap or crevice can be
formed between two metals
or a metal and non-metallic
material.

Pitting • extremely localized • polishing of surface

corrosion corrosion that leads to the
creation of small holes in the
metal
• Difficult to monitor and very
Types Description Counter
measure
Inter granular • boundaries • Suitable heat
corrosion of crystallites of the treatment
material are more • addition of alloying
susceptible to corrosion elements
than their insides. • low percentage
• This is due to carbon in steels
concentration
difference at micro
level.
• Grain boundaries are
more prone to
corrosions.

Selective • Occurs in selective • change of materials

leaching metals • cathodic protection
• It is selective removal
of a particular metal
from the components
E.g.: Dezincification of
Brass.

Erosion • It is acceleration of • change of

corrosion due to component design
mechanical actions • clearing the fluid
• All metals and alloys particulates.
are prone to this.
 DEGRADATION OF POLYMERS

• As polymer structures are complex, so are the mechanisms involved in deteriorations

FACTORS CAUSING DEGRADATION

External
temperature radiation moisture environment bacteria loads or
stress
 MEASURES TO REDUCE CORROSION

Application
Material Environment The use of Design Cathodic
of surface
selection al alteration inhibitors changes protection
coatings

GENERAL MEASURES

Prevent accumulation of Inspect Critical Control

Choose corrosion resistant
water, salts and gases within Points (CCP) regularly with
materials
structures non- destructive techniques