Influence of Macro- and Microfouling on Corrosion of Steel Bridge Piles Submerged in Natural Waters
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 33, Issue 6
Abstract
Anomalous localized corrosion of submerged steel H-piles was detected in a Florida bridge. Microbiological analysis at the site indicated a high population of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). The steel piles coincidently also had heavy marine growth, which can affect the corrosion process. As part of research to identify the role of macrofoulers on the aggravation of microbiologically-influenced corrosion (MIC), the objective of the work was to identify the influence of crevices created by the macrofoulers to facilitate proliferation of SRB and development of MIC. Steel coupons were immersed at three Florida bridge sites. Localized corrosion developed under the marine fouling coinciding with high sessile SRB populations. Crevice conditions with different interactions with the bulk solution can develop. Crevice environments associated with well-adhered barnacles would have less interaction with the bulk solution than that of the poorly-adhered and interlayered barnacles or marine flora. Aeration levels would be similarly affected. Laboratory experiments were made in solutions inoculated with SRB and with idealized crevices. The lab testing provided verification that sequential injections of nutrients and viable SRB allowed for SRB populations to be sustained. MIC developed in the environments representative of the occluded regions under fouling organisms.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
This investigation was supported by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the FDOT or the USDOT. Support from the FDOT State Materials Office is acknowledged here. The assistance by Dennis Baldi and the contributions by Bin Li and Md Ahsan Sabbir are acknowledged.
References
ASTM. 2017. Standard practice for preparing, cleaning, and evaluating corrosion test specimens. ASTM G1-03. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
Barton, L. L., and F. A. Tomei. 1995. “Characteristics and activities of sulfate-reducing bacteria.” In Sulfate reducing bacteria, edited by L. L. Barton, 1–32. Boston: Springer.
Borenstein, S. W. 1994. Microbiologically influenced corrosion handbook. Cambridge, UK: Woodhead Publishing.
Braun, D. G. 2005. Manatee protection plan, A description of the historic and current presence, abundance and protection of West Indian manatees and a plan to promote their continued existence in St. Johns County, Florida, Chapter 9. Raleigh, NC: Growth Management Services.
Carlton, J. T., and M. H. Ruckelshaus. 1997. “Nonindigenous marine invertebrates and algae.” In Strangers in paradise, edited by D. Simberloff, D. C. Schmitz, and T. C. Brown, 187–201. Washington, DC: Island Press.
Crisp, D. J. 1974. “Factors influencing the settlement of marine invertebrate larvae.” In Chemoreception in marine organisms, edited by P. T. Grant and A. M. Mackie, 177–265. London: Academic Press.
De Brito, L. V., R. Coutinho, E. H. Cavalcanti, and M. Benchimol. 2007. “The influence of macrofouling on the corrosion behaviour of API 5L X65 carbon steel.” Biofouling 23 (3): 193–201. https://doi.org/10.1080/08927010701258966.
de Messano, L. V., L. Y. Reznik, L. Sathler, and R. Coutinho. 2014. “Evaluation of biocorrosion on stainless steels using laboratory-reared barnacle Amphibalanus Amphitrite.” Anti-Corros. Methods Mater. 61 (6): 402–408. https://doi.org/10.1108/ACMM-07-2013-1278.
de Messano, L. V., L. Sathler, L. Y. Reznik, and R. Coutinho. 2009. “The effect of biofouling on localized corrosion of the stainless steels N08904 and UNS S32760.” Int. Biodeterior. Biodegrad. 63 (5): 607–614. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2009.04.006.
Dexter, S. C. 1993. “Role of microfouling organisms in marine corrosion.” Biofouling 7 (2): 97–127. https://doi.org/10.1080/08927019309386247.
Dexter, S. C., and J. P. LaFontaine. 1998. “Effect of natural marine biofilms on galvanic corrosion.” Corrosion 54 (11): 851–861. https://doi.org/10.5006/1.3284804.
Diaz, C., M. Urquidi Macdonald, D. D. Macdonald, A. C. Ramamurthy, W. J. Van Ooji, and A. Sabata. 1993. “Interpretation of electrochemical impedance data for damaged automotive paint films, in corrosion control for low-cost reliability.” In Proc., 12th Int. Corrosion Congress, Houston: National Association of Corrosion Engineers International.
Eashwar, M., G. Subramanian, and P. Chandrasekaran. 1990. “Marine fouling and corrosion studies in the coastal waters of Mandapam, India.” Bull. Electrochem. 6 (8): 699–702.
Eashwar, M., G. Subramanian, P. Chandrasekaran, and K. Balakrishnan. 1992. “Mechanism for barnacle-induced crevice corrosion in stainless steel.” Corrosion 48 (7): 608–612. https://doi.org/10.5006/1.3315979.
FDOT (Florida DOT). 2018. Vol. 1 of Structures design guideline. Tallahassee, FL: FDOT.
Felder, D. L., and D. K. Camp. 2009. Gulf of Mexico—Origins, waters, and biota: Biodiversity. College Station, TX: Texas A&M Press.
Grdeń, M. 2017. “Impedance study on the capacitance of silver electrode oxidized in alkaline electrolyte” J. Solid State Electrochem. 21 (11): 3333–3344. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-017-3684-2.
Gu, T., R. Jia, T. Unsal, and D. Xu. 2019. “Toward a better understanding of microbiologically influenced corrosion caused by sulfate reducing bacteria.” J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 35 (4): 631–636. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmst.2018.10.026.
Gubner, R., and I. B. Beech. 2009 “Statistical assessment of the risk of biocorrosion in tidal waters.” In Proc., Corrosion 1999. Houston: National Association of Corrosion Engineers International.
Hsu, C. H., and F. Mansfeld. 2001. “Technical note: Concerning the conversion of the constant phase element parameter Y0 into a capacitance.” Corrosion 57 (9): 747–748. https://doi.org/10.5006/1.3280607.
Javaherdashti, R., C. Nwaoha, and H. Tan. 2013. Corrosion and materials in the oil and gas industries. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Jia, R., T. Unsal, D. Xu, Y. Lekbach, and T. Gu. 2019a. “Microbiologically influenced corrosion and current mitigation strategies: A state of the art.” Int. Biodeterior. Biodegrad. 137 (Feb): 42–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2018.11.007.
Jia, R., D. Wang, P. Jin, T. Unsal, D. Yang, J. Yang, D. Xu, and T. Gu. 2019b. “Effects of ferrous ion concentration on microbiologically influenced corrosion of carbon steel by sulfate reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio vulgaris.” Corros. Sci. 153 (Jun): 127–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2019.03.038.
Kaplan, E. H. 1988. A field guide to southeastern and Caribbean seashores: Cape Hatteras to the Gulf coast, Florida, and the Caribbean. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Keough, M. J., and P. T. Raimondi. 1995. “Responses of settling invertebrate larvae to bioorganic films: Effects of different types of films.” J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 185 (2): 235–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0981(94)00154-6.
Kuhr, C. V. W., and L. S. Van der Vlugt. 1934. “The graphitization of cast iron as an electrobiochemical process in anaerobic soils.” Water (den Haad) 18 (16): 147–165.
LaQue, F. L. 1975. Corrosion causes and prevention. New York: Wiley.
Lau, K., and A. Sagüés. 2011. “Impedance of reinforcing steel with disbonded dual polymer–zinc coating.” Electrochim. Acta 56 (23): 7815–7824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2011.01.008.
Lehaitre, M., L. Delauney, and C. Compère. 2008. “Biofouling and underwater measurements.” In Real-time coastal observation systems for marine ecosystem dynamics and harmful algal blooms: Theory, instrumentation, and modeling, edited by M. Babin, C. S. Roesler, and J. J. Cullen, 463–493. Paris: UNESCO.
Levie, D. 1963. “On porous electrodes in electrolyte solutions: I. Capacitance effects.” Electrochim. Acta 8 (10): 751–780. https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-4686(63)80042-0.
Little, B., and J. S. Lee. 2007. Microbially influenced corrosion. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Little, B., P. Wagner, and F. Mansfeld. 1992. “An overview of microbiologically influenced corrosion.” Electrochim. Acta 37 (12): 2185–2194. https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-4686(92)85110-7.
McPherson, B. F., W. H. Sonntag, and M. Sabanskas. 1984. “Fouling community of the Loxahatchee River Estuary, Florida, 1980-81.” Estuaries 7 (2): 149–157. https://doi.org/10.2307/1351769.
Mehta, A. J., and C. P. Jones. 1977. Mantanzas inlet: Glossary of inlets report 5. Tallahassee, FL: State Univ. System of Florida.
NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers) Standard. 2014. Field monitoring of bacterial growth in oil and gas systems. Houston: NACE.
O’Dell, J. W. 1993. The determination of chemical oxygen demand by semiautomated colorimetry-method 410.4. Cincinnati: Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory.
Palanichamy, S., and G. Subramanian. 2014. “Hard foulers induced crevice corrosion of HSLA steel in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mannar (Bay of Bengal), India.” J. Mar. Sci. Appl. 13 (1): 117–126. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11804-014-1237-y.
Palraj, S., G. Venkatachari, and G. Subramanian. 2002. “Bio-fouling and corrosion characteristics of 60/40 brass in Mandapam waters.” Anti-Corros. Methods Mater. 49 (3): 194–198. https://doi.org/10.1108/00035590210426445.
Permeh, S., M. E. Boan, B. Tansel, and K. Lau. 2019a. Susceptibility of bridge steel and concrete components to microbiological influenced corrosion (MIC) and microbiological influenced deterioration (MID) in Florida. Tallahassee, FL: Florida DOT.
Permeh, S., M. E. Boan, B. Tansel, K. Lau, and M. Duncan. 2019b. “Exploration of the influence of microbe availability on MIC of steel marine fouling environments.” In Proc., Corrosion 2019. Houston: National Association of Corrosion Engineers International.
Permeh, S., M. Echeverría, B. Tansel, K. Lau, and M. Duncan. 2020a. “Effect of fouling on cathodic protection current on steel submerged in natural waters.” In Proc., Corrosion 2020. Houston: National Association of Corrosion Engineers International.
Permeh, S., K. Lau, and M. Duncan. 2019c. “Characterization of biofilm formation and coating degradation by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.” Coatings 9 (8): 518. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings9080518.
Permeh, S., K. Lau, and M. Duncan. 2020b. “Degradation of coatings for steel in environments susceptible to corrosion associated with fouling.” Struct. Infrastruct. Eng. 16 (8): 1186–1200. https://doi.org/10.1080/15732479.2019.1694543.
Permeh, S., K. Lau, M. Echeverria, B. Tansel, and M. Duncan. 2020c. “Cathodic polarization behavior of steel with different marine fouling morphologies on submerged bridge elements with cathodic protection.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 32 (7): 04020184. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0003257.
Permeh, S., K. Lau, B. Tansel, and M. Duncan. 2020d. “Surface conditions for microcosm development and proliferation of SRB on steel with cathodic corrosion protection.” Constr. Build. Mater. 243 (May): 118209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.118209.
Permeh, S., B. Li, M. Echeverría, B. Tansel, K. Lau, and M. Duncan. 2018. “Microbially influenced steel corrosion with crevice conditions in natural water.” In Proc., Corrosion 2018. Houston: National Association of Corrosion Engineers International.
Permeh, S., C. Reid, M. E. Boan, K. Lau, B. Tansel, M. Duncan, and I. Lasa. 2017. “Microbiological influenced corrosion (MIC) in Florida marine environment: A case study.” In Proc., Corrosion 2017. Houston: National Association of Corrosion Engineers International.
Pipe, A. 1981. “North Sea fouling organisms and their potential effects on the corrosion of North Sea structures.” In Marine corrosion on offshore structures, edited by J. R. Lewis and A. D. Mercer, 13–22. London: Society of Chemical Industry.
Postage, J. R. 1984. The sulphate reducing bacteria. 2nd ed. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Ray, R., J. S. Lee, and B. Little. 2009. “Factors contributing to corrosion of steel pilings in Duluth-Superior Harbor.” Corrosion 65 (11): 707–717. https://doi.org/10.5006/1.3319097.
Roberts, D., D. Rittschof, E. Holm, and A. R. Schmidt. 1991. “Factors influencing initial larval settlement: Temporal, spatial and surface molecular components.” J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 150 (2): 203–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0981(91)90068-8.
Roy, A. K., D. A. Jones, and R. D. Mccright. 1996. Degradation mode survey galvanic corrosion of candidate metallic materials for high-level radioactive waste disposal containers. Livermore, CA: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Salgar-Chaparro, S. J., K. Lepkova, T. Pojtanabuntoeng, A. Darwin, and L. L. Machuca. 2020. “Nutrient level determines biofilm characteristics and subsequent impact on microbial corrosion and biocide effectiveness.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 86 (7): 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02885-1.
Sangeetha, R., R. Kumar, R. Venkatesan, M. Doble, L. Vedaprakash, and K. Lakshmi. 2010. “Understanding the structure of the adhesive plaque of Amphibalanus reticulates.” Mater. Sci. Eng., C 30 (1): 112–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2009.09.007.
Scott, P. J. B. 2004. “Expert consensus on MIC: Failure analysis and control.” Mater. Perform. 43 (4): 46–50.
Subramanian, G., and S. Palanichamy. 2013. “Influence of fouling assemblage on the corrosion behaviour of mild steel in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mannar, India.” J. Mar. Sci. Appl. 12 (4): 500–509. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11804-013-1222-x.
Ter Heijne, A., D. Liu, M. Sulonen, T. Sleutels, and F. Fabregat-Santiago. 2018. “Quantification of bio-anode capacitance in bioelectrochemical systems using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.” J. Power Sources 400 (Oct): 533–538. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2018.08.003.
Tomlinson, M., and J. Woodward. 2014. Pile design and construction practice. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Venzlaff, H., D. Enning, J. Srinivasan, K. J. Mayrhofer, A. W. Hassel, F. Widdel, and M. Stratmann. 2013. “Accelerated cathodic reaction in microbial corrosion of iron due to direct electron uptake by sulfate-reducing bacteria.” Corros. Sci. 66 (Jan): 88–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2012.09.006.
Walters, L. J., M. G. Hadfield, and C. M. Smith. 1996. “Waterborne chemical compounds in tropical macroalgae: Positive and negative cues for larval settlement.” Mar. Biol. 126 (3): 383–393. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00354620.
Xu, D., and T. Gu. 2014. “Carbon source starvation triggered more aggressive corrosion against carbon steel by the Desulfovibrio vulgaris biofilm.” Int. Biodeterior. Biodegrad. 91 (Jul): 74–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2014.03.014.
Zhang, H. J., and S. C. Dexter. 1995. “Effect of biofilms on crevice corrosion of stainless steels in coastal seawater.” Corrosion 51 (1): 56–66. https://doi.org/10.5006/1.3293578.
Zobell, C., and E. Allen. 1935. “The significance of marine bacteria in the fouling of submerged surfaces.” J. Bacteriol. 29 (3): 239–251. https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.29.3.239-251.1935.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 33 • Issue 6 • June 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 26, 2020
Accepted: Sep 25, 2020
Published online: Mar 24, 2021
Published in print: Jun 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Aug 24, 2021
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.