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Corrosivity Level of Soils at Distinct Areas Where Pipeline Steel is Buried for Water Distribution, South-Africa

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Abstract

An engagement of different soil characterization techniques including ion chromatography, inductively coupled plasma, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) has been utilized to study nature of the soils from seven locations where corrosion previously occurred on buried pipeline steels. Moisture contents from engaged samples were below 20%, and the organic matter contents were negligible. The least resistivity was observed on soil sample (SS) 4. The energy-dispersive X-ray analysis showed notable amount of chloride in SS 4, while the XRD analysis revealed the formation of complex phases comprised goethite and hematite from SS 4. The overall view regarding corrosivity went in this order: SS 4, SS 1, SS 5, SS 7, SS 6, and SS 2. The recommended cathodic protection for soils was between −850 and −950 mV Cu/CuSO4.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to sincerely thank Mr. Bongani Baloyi for his decisive engagement in this study. I would also like to thank Tshwane University of Technology, particularly, the Department of Chemical, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering for giving me the opportunity to study my Master’s.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa

    Khotso Khoele & Bongani Baloyi

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa

    Bongani Baloyi

  3. Advanced Materials & Electrochemical Research Group, Department of Chemical Engineering Technology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Peter Apata Olubambi

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  1. Khotso Khoele
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  2. Bongani Baloyi
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Correspondence to Khotso Khoele.

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Khoele, K., Baloyi, B. & Olubambi, P.A. Corrosivity Level of Soils at Distinct Areas Where Pipeline Steel is Buried for Water Distribution, South-Africa. J Fail. Anal. and Preven. 16, 761–769 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-016-0145-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-016-0145-7

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