Standard Practice for Conducting Atmospheric Corrosion Tests on Metals

Abstract

3.1 The procedures described herein can be used to evaluate the corrosion resistance of metals when exposed to the weather, as well as to evaluate the relative corrosivity of the atmosphere at specific locations. Because of the variability and complexity of weather effects and the industrial and natural factors influencing the atmospheric corrosivity of a test site, a multi-year exposure period should be considered to minimize their influence. Also, as corrosivity may vary at a site from season to season, exposures should be made either at the same time of the year to minimize variability or these differences should be established by multiple exposures. 3.2 Control specimens should always be employed in weathering tests. The control specimens should be from a material having established weathering characteristics. A substantial amount of corrosion data shall have been accumulated for the control specimens. It is also good practice to retain samples of all materials exposed so that possible effects of long-term aging can be measured.