Characterization of soil properties influence to the corrosion of the underground pipeline

Abstract

Underground pipes are commonly used as transportation system that carries water, gasoline and oil which is a safe and faster way. However, the underground pipes undergo corrosion although made with primary protection such as galvanisation. The purpose of this research is to determine the factors that affect soil characteristics and lead to underground pipe corrosion. To determine soil contamination is present in the soil sample, the primary soil characteristics that are investigated in this study are particle size, moisture content, pH level, and chemical ion content. The characteristics of the soil will be determined as the factor influencing the corrosion of the underground pipes based on the information gathered and the results of previous research. The environment that a material is exposed to determines how it will behave when it corrodes, and the material exposed to an environment determines how corrosive it is. Increase in soil water content has a direct impact on the interactions between pipes, resulting in both localized and generalized corrosion, which deteriorates pipeline materials and damages infrastructure. The finer soil particles, owing to the increase in swelling, shrinkage, and plasticity are considered as corrosive medium for underground pipelines and steel structures. Concentrations of clay minerals also the main source of quality control. Clay minerals with illite and montmorillonite content absorb water at a higher rate than clay minerals with kaolinite content, which makes them very efficient reducing metals. When soil is more acidic, structural materials like steel are far more likely to corrode. When soil acidity reaches a particular point, it will accelerate the chemical process of corrosion concurrently. To improve the soil qualities, 4% of dolomite lime is applied as a stabiliser. These dolomite lime lowers soil moisture content and shows that the pH of the soil rises from 4.69 to 6.1.