Steel pipes, ship wrecks, discarded weapons and decommissioned infrastructure corroding on the ocean floor are the focus of a new University of Newcastle research project.
Rob Melchers said conditions such as temperature, salinity and acidity affected the rate which metal corroded and, in turn, how it affected the environment.
"Our initial focus is to be able to predict, with greater accuracy, how long it will take decommissioned oil and gas pipes off Australian coasts to corrode," Professor Melchers, from the from the university's Centre for Infrastructure Performance and Reliability, said.
"Some of these objects may still contain contaminants that could eventually leak into the environment, so tools for predicting when this is likely to happen are important."
The project, funded by a grant from National Energy Resources Australia and the National Decommissioning Research Initiative , will review historical data to develop a tool for predicting the lifespan and corrosion behaviour of decommissioned metallic infrastructure.
"Once we develop such a predictive tool, it will have applications for similar situations globally, for example, in the North Sea where there is an abundance of corroding oil mining infrastructure and even discarded items from World Wars I and II," Professor Melchers said.
Professor Melchers and research partner Professor Mike Tan from Deakin University will also conduct simulated corrosion monitoring experiments.
By mimicking marine conditions in the laboratory, factors influencing corrosion can be controlled and corresponding corrosion rates measured.
Of particular interest to the research team is the influence of microorganisms and biofouling on corrosion.
"Our experience shows that environmental conditions influence the growth of bacteria in the water which in turn impacts the rate of corrosion," Professor Melchers said.
"Our most immediate concern is for oil and gas being released from corroding pipes, but there are still places in the world that have unexploded weapons beneath the sea. The more we learn about rates of corrosion under different conditions, the more accurate our assessment of risks."
University of Newcastle deputy vice-chancellor, research and innovation , Professor Janet Nelson, said that this project was an example of how universities and industry bodies could work together to solve problems.
"Communities expect universities to step up and help with real problems, and I'm thrilled to see the outcomes of this research and the impact it will have on the management of marine infrastructure in the future." Professor Nelson said.
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