Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Prepared for: Prevention and Management of Marine Corrosion, London, 2-3 April 2003. Lloyds List
Events.
Summary
Welding influences material properties and must be considered in terms of design and initial
fabrication and any subsequent repair during the life of a vessel. Additionally, new fabrication
processes are being developed such as laser and laser hybrid welding, friction stir welding of
aluminium alloys and improved wet underwater repair, necessitating understanding of the corrosion
performance of such new weldments which may be used in the marine shipping industry.
The issues influencing the corrosion performance of welded carbon and low alloy steels, corrosion
resistant alloys and aluminium alloys are presented. Possible issues related to wet underwater repair
welds for permanent solutions are highlighted. Coating of weldments can be more difficult than parent
material due to the weld profile and accessibility, whilst fatigue at welds may cause coating failure.
Future applications of improved coatings based on thermally sprayed aluminium to protect carbon
steels and corrosion resistant alloys in the marine environment is discussed. Recommendations of
areas for further assessment in terms of long term corrosion performance of welds and corrosion
fatigue in sour oil storage tanks are provided.
Introduction
Welding influences material properties and must be considered in terms of design and initial
fabrication and any subsequent repair during the life of a vessel. Additionally, new fabrication
processes are being developed such as laser and laser hybrid welding, friction stir welding of
aluminium alloys and improved wet underwater repair, necessitating understanding of the corrosion
performance of such new weldments which may be used in the marine shipping industry. Comment is
made regarding the availability of information related to corrosion performance of such weldments.
These areas are discussed in terms of the present knowledge, or experience in other sectors and the
potential areas for future development to enhance corrosion mitigation measures available in the
management of marine corrosion in the shipping industry.
Generally, if the corrosion mitigation measures are correctly applied and good inspection and
maintenance adhered to, then welds should not pose any increased risk of corrosion failure, but
owners must understand the potential issues associated with welds and likelihood of corrosion e.g.
consideration be given to the likelihood of corrosion rates at weldments being higher than the
anticipated rate for unwelded parent material.
Corrosion mitigation via barrier coatings remains the largest corrosion-related cost to all industrial
sectors worldwide, with organic coatings accounting for 88% (US$107billion) of the annual USA
expenditure on corrosion control methods and services, and metallic coatings accounting for
US$1.4billion per annum in 2002. [1,2] The estimated annual cost of corrosion for the US marine
shipping industry in 2002 was US$2.7billion, with some US$1.1billion expended on new build,
US$0.8billion on maintenance and repair, and US$0.8billion due to downtime. Improved coatings
designed to last the lifetime of a vessel offer opportunities for reduced whole life costs. Developments
in the oil $ gas sector using thermally sprayed aluminium may be applicable to the shipbuilding and
shipping sector to produce coatings with improved protection characteristics and life to first
maintenance.
Corrosion resistant alloys (CRAs) are usually selected based on their inherent resistance to attack in
marine exposure or to avoid additional operational costs associated with corrosion mitigation of steel.
Additionally, and probably more frequently, CRAs may be chosen for the containment of process
conditions related to oil and gas production facilities, transportation of chemicals etc but may be
subject to external exposure to the marine environment. When such exposure is combined with
residual stress and high operating temperatures, it can lead to localised corrosion and environmentally
assisted cracking at weldments.
Introductory comments
Whilst welding can have significant influence upon the corrosion performance of materials, for carbon
steels exposed to marine environments, it is recognised that best practice in mitigation of general
corrosion through coatings, cathodic protection or inhibition will usually also avoid any enhanced
attack at weldments. However, where these measures fail, or are inadequate, the corrosion behaviour
of a weldment can be significantly different to that of unwelded parent material.
The use of higher strength steels for offshore and shipping applications has been studied for over four
decades, primarily with concern for mechanical performance in cold waters and also with regard to the
issue of preferential weldment corrosion which is discussed later. Increasing the strength of the
structural steel offers the benefit of reduced steel weight/physical dimensions and hence allows
increased vessel capacity. [3] Higher strength steels such as those produced by TMCP (thermo-
mechanically controlled processing) or low alloy steels can be used. TMCP processing allows the
derivation of higher strength compared with normalised product fromthe identical steel chemistry,
through the deformation and straining occurring during manufacture of the sheet. [4] Conversely, if a
TMCP material of identical strength to a normalised product were selected, the former would have a
leaner composition. TMCP steels manufactured with accelerated cooling are weldable, provided care is
taken touse a moderately low heat input (<2.5kJ/mm for 15mm plate) such that the cooling rate is
high and therefore the fine grain sizing leading to the desired properties developed during
manufacture can be retained. TMCP steels manufactured without accelerated cooling are more readily
weldable as there is less concern regarding heat affected zone (HAZ) softening.
The major issue associated with the use of higher strength steels, such as TMCP grades, in the
shipping industry relates to the fact that design allows the material to be thinner. Consequently, when
the same maintenance strategies have been applied as for carbon steels (where a certain amount of
corrosion loss of wall section can be tolerated), this can lead to through-wall penetration of the
thinner, higher strength material. It is essential, therefore, that full consideration be given to the
likelihood of corrosion, the corrosion rate and consequences of through-wall failure when considering
corrosion mitigation and selection of coating system. Higher strength steels also lead to some
concerns regarding the loss of rigidity of the vessel structure [2] and the apparent increased corrosion
rates reported for such steels may be ascribed to the spalling of corrosion products due to the flexing
movement of the substrate. This spalling removes the overlying iron oxides, etc, and hence eliminates
the diffusion rate controlling step for oxygen access to the region, allowing corrosion to occur on
freshly exposed, active material.
Earlier developments on higher strength steels focused upon improved strength through Mn additions
and retention of HAZ toughness via the addition of alloying elements such as Nb, Ti and V etc. [5] Such
steels, in the unwelded condition, have a corrosion performance for immersed conditions very similar
to that for carbon steel. [3] In addition, weldments in hardenable higher strength grades of steel can
be susceptible to preferential corrosion when immersed, so that in regions where loss of coating can
occur through abrasion, impact or wear, additional effort is required to ensure preferential corrosion
will not take place.
The most common corrosion issue associated with carbon steels in shipping is the external corrosion
of the hull, and corrosion rate will be dependent upon conditions of operation. In general, no corrosion
allowance is made in shipping design, [2] primarily due to expectation of mitigation via coatings and
cathodic protection (CP). The average corrosion rate for parent carbon steel under conditions of total
immersion in seawater is estimated as 0.1mm per annum, [2,3,6] and 0.4-0.5mm per annum in splash
zones [6] due to higher oxygen availability. Initial rates in short-term exposure will be higher and
increased temperature can have a significant effect. The velocity of the water will have an impact and
a flow rate of 1.5m.s -1 will increase by three times the corrosion rate in quiescent
conditions. [6] However, as discussed later, the corrosion rate of an immersed weldment can be
considerably higher than parent material, and caution is needed in estimating the likely corrosion that
will occur in the event of coating failure ifCP is inadequate or the weld is in the splash zone.
Corrosion fatigue crack propagation for TMCP steels in seawater was studied by Nakano et
al [7] regarding comparison of TMCP and normalised steel grades in artificial seawater at free corrosion
potential and with cathodic protection, but significantly welds were not assessed. They concluded that
there was no difference in the crack propagation rate between these steels in seawater, or in the
acceleration measured under cathodic protection. Welds are invariably the point of concern for fatigue
and corrosion fatigue. TWI has worked on the subject of corrosion fatigue of welds under CP and
demonstrated that crack propagation rates can be higher in hardened weld area microstructures than
the parent material. [8,9]
Atmospheric corrosion of steel in marine environments can range from 0.03mm per annum in
temperate zones to 0.07mm per annum in tropical coastal locations, [10] attributed to increased
temperature and humidity. Atmospheric corrosion rates for shipping would be expected to be faster,
necessitating coatings that can provide long term protection and have good resistance to
undercutting. Corrosion in occluded areas and ullage spaces, when oxygen is present, can be faster
than on external surfaces especially where the tanks are hot or ambient temperatures are high.
Typically, based on the Arrhenius relationship for the rate of reaction, a 10°C increase in temperature
can double the corrosion rate, thus providing particular concern for shipping operating in tropical and
equatorial waters, or carrying hot oil cargo. Acidic condensate from oil cargo can also accelerate
corrosion in tank ullage. [2]
Whilst preferential weldment corrosion is not believed to be a concern in marine atmospheres or ullage
spaces due to the presence of only thin aqueous films that limit the area ratio of anode to cathode,
weldments can be areas of corrosion susceptibility in these conditions due to issues such as:
Difficulty in good surface preparation prior to coating at fabrication and entrapment of welding
Welds are locations where fatigue damage to the substrate will occur preferentially due to the
stress concentration associated with the geometry of the weld toe, leading to cracking of the
protective coating
Joint design may lead to formation of crevices or regions where debris can accumulate leading to
Copper alloying addition to steel has been shown to be beneficial in atmospheric corrosion, forming an
adherent patina, e.g. weathering steels such as Cor-Ten, but there are no benefits derived from long
term immersion [10,11]and they are not suitable for saline conditions due to the detrimental influence of
chloride ions. [3] Further, reference [3] proposes that low alloy steels in atmospheric corrosion may
offer some benefit over the carbon steels due to the formation of more dense and tightly adherent
corrosion products, which thus will not cause significant undercut of protective coatings. However, it is
unknown whether practical advantage has been gained from such an effect.
Where steels are used for the tanks holding sour (hydrogen sulphide containing) oils then there may
be concern about corrosion fatigue under such conditions. There are limited data available on
corrosion fatigue of materials in sour service, even for the oil and gas sector, which is now generating
such information for deepwater riser applications [12,13] for welded pipeline grade steels such as API 5L
X65. However, for the shipping industry the concern relates to the handling of crude oil in storage
tanks on FPSO and on crude oil tankers, and the performance of welded steelplate used for the hull
and storage tanks. Watanabe et al [14] studied the fatigue performance of TMCP steels (yield strengths
approx. 415MPa), a carbon manganese steel (yield strength 291MPa) and welded joints in crude oil
with 400ppm H 2 S and concluded that acceleration of crack growth rate for the weld occurred in both
steels to the same extent compared with air (approximately 7X the rate for parent steels at ΔK
≈30MPa.m -1/2 ) and increasing further as ΔK increases. This is cited as consistent with other steels in
similar conditions and indicates conservatively that corrosion fatigue life of steel in sour crude oil may
be about 1/10 th that in air, but is not apparently dependent upon the steel. For welded risers, the
reduction in fatigue life may be as much as 20X. [13]However, this topic as noted above, is subject to
on-going assessment for oil & gas riser applications and the findings may indicate need for generation
of similar data for the shipping industry for crude oil cargo tankers and ship-shaped production vessels
due to the different fatigue loading regime and temperatures.
Introductory remarks
The influence of welding on the corrosion performance of steels has been studied for many years,
reference [15]from 1959 citing earlier work on the subject of preferential corrosion and applying
methods of galvanic measurement between weld metal and parent steels. Such corrosion has been
reported in a range of different environments from arctic seawater, pipework handling seawater for
injection on oil & gas wells, to examples in oil & gas production conditions, mining and chemical
processing and has been subject to evaluation for some 40 years. Corrosion has been observed in
girth welds and seam welds in pipe and in welds between plates in ships, for many fusion welding
processes. As described below, preferential weldment corrosion can be galvanically induced, or related
to the microstructure associated with the HAZ and weld metal.
A fact which is frequently overlooked in the case of galvanically driven attack, particularly when
engineers may be more familiar with considering the typical galvanic series for selection of different
materials which are compatible in dissimilar couples, is that the potential difference between the
parent steel and the weldment (weld metal or HAZ being anodic) may only be about 10-15mV. In such
cases there is a large uncoated cathodic area of parent steel and a small anodic area (weld metal or
HAZ), which then leads to the preferential weldment corrosion. The reason for the influence of surface
area is that the cathodic reduction (dissolved oxygen forming hydroxyl ions), which occurs on the
parent steel, requires a balancing oxidation at the anode (steel corrosion). To a large extent the
efficiency of the cathodic reaction will govern the corrosion rate of the anodic material.
The probable existence of a galvanic couple was noted in early work on HAZ corrosion of welded steel
carrying acid mine waters in 1960, [16] but the expectation Robinson noted at the time was that a
potential difference of about 100mV was thought to be needed, which subsequently has been shown
not to be the case. He attributed the HAZ corrosion to local high residuals tress and hardened
microstructure, but later work [17] notes that the cause is more likely microstructure dependent
because normalising can eliminate the problem but stress relief did not.
Interestingly, in this latter case referred to by Robinson, [16] the external conditions of constant
condensation on the pipework also led to enhanced attack at the welds. TWI does not believe that
similar problems have occurred in marine atmospheric conditions. Therefore, this probably reflects the
specific conditions of a low pH acidic mine water capable of inducing high corrosion rates and soluble
corrosion products, whereas the corrosion products would be more adherent in moist marine
conditions.
It is highlighted that preferential weldment corrosion does not imply that the parent steel is
galvanically protected by the corroding weldment, but rather, the parent steel is corroding at its
intrinsic rate and the weldment corrosion is accelerated above this value. Acceleration of the corrosion
rate for steel in seawater service may be between 2-3 times the rate for parent steel alone, hence the
need for caution when considering the likelihood o fcorrosion of hull and tanks on shipping based
solely on data published for parent steels.
The effects of fusion welding on steels and non-ferrous materials in terms of corrosion behaviour have
been summarised in many papers, [17-21] and the key aspects to consider for carbon and low alloy
steels are:
The weld metal is effectively a chill casting due to the rapid cooling rate, unlike the wrought
structure of the adjacent parent material, also differing in both composition and inclusion content.
The parent material experiences temperatures ranging from ambient at some distance from the
weld, up to the melting point at the fusion boundary with the weld metal. The consequential
metallurgical transformations across the HAZ so formed can significantly affect the intrinsic
corrosion rate.
The thermal history will depend on many interacting factors including the welding heat input,
preheat, material thickness, weld bead size and subsequent reheat from additional weld passes.
The as-deposited hardness of the HAZ will be dependent upon the carbon equivalent of the steel
and the heat input, with high heat input processes such as submerged arc welding (SAW) leading
to low hardness whilst low heat input with faster cooling rates will result in increased hardness,
e.g. manual metal arc (MMA), tungsten inert gas (TIG) and metal inert gas/metal active gas
(MIG/MAG) processes. The arc efficiency must be considered when comparing the heat input from
different processes.
The weld metal and HAZ will be covered by an oxide scale, welding slag and flux residue, and the
surface of the weld metal will be rough, all of which can affect corrosion behaviour and coating
adherence.
The weld will be a stress raiser in consideration of fatigue or stress corrosion performance due to
Due to the thermal expansion and contraction associated with solidification of the weld, residual
stresses will remain after welding typically tensile and close to the yield strength in the most
severe locations.
It should be noted that the weld metal is invariably selected for the necessary mechanical properties,
but where weld metal corrosion is a problem, suitable corrosion resisting consumables can be chosen
to overcome the issue whilst retaining joint integrity.
Cases of preferential weldment corrosion in the shipping industry were reported and studied from the
1960s onwards. Originally issues related to the occurrence of attack on ice breakers and vessels
operating in icy waters where the paint system would be removed and often the CP system was also
compromised. This was still noted to be of concern for shipping in Canadian arctic waters in the
1980s. [22] The subject of preferential weldment corrosion of steel has continued to be studied through
the 1960s to the present day, [11, 22-34] both in terms of the specific issues for shipbuilding and more
generally to gain understanding of the phenomena. In the past decade however, most research
dealing with this issue has related to the occurrence of the problem in the oil & gas sector in sweet
production environments. [35]
The occurrence of preferential weld metal attack in marine environments has been shown to relate to
the galvanic difference between the weld metal and the parent steel which can be influenced by the
composition of the two materials. However, even where the composition and strength are very similar,
accelerated weld metal attack can take place [19] with the flux type affecting the level of acceleration,
such that the rate can vary from between 1.5 to 3 times the rate on the parent steel where basic
coated electrodes are used. Less acceleration occurs if rutile coated electrodes are used. This was
attributed to the inclusion content in the weld metal and whilst rutile coated electrodes performed
better, the corrosion rate was still in excess of that of the parent steel. High silicon content has been
established as detrimental to weld metal corrosion performance in some process environments but
reference [36]determined this was not the case in seawater, and supported the understanding that
inclusion content was the controlling factor. The most frequently successful remedy has been selection
of welding consumables that have a small alloying content such that the deposited metal will be
slightly cathodic to the parent steel, whilst not inducing enhanced HAZ corrosion. Typically electrodes
with about 1%Ni or 0.6%Ni plus 0.4%Cu have been found to eradicate the problem in both pipeline
steels handling seawater and welded plates for ships hulls.
Preferential HAZ attack is not frequently observed, despite the range of microstructures present in the
weldment. However, it is believed that the cathodic reduction rate will govern the corrosion
rate [18] and that the microstructure will have a secondary role. There is a tendency for preferential
HAZ attack to occur in acidic conditions, where the hardened microstructure or the presence of
carbides enhance the cathodic reaction of the reduction of hydrogen ions. Therefore, material
selection, welding processes and procedures leading to a softer HAZ, through lower carbon and alloy
contents and use of high heat input welding parameters will generally result in more uniform corrosion
and no enhanced HAZ attack. Avoidance of low temperature transformation products will assist in
mitigating such attack. [20]
In addition, the weld thermal cycle can influence the inclusions in the HAZ and this is known to be a
problem in electrical resistance welded (ERW) linepipe, where the inclusions can be exposed at the
seam weld. Improved chemistry control on the steel source has reduced the occurrence in
combination with heat treatment. [19] Despite the long history of assessment of the problem, even
today doubt remains over the mechanisms [34] for C-Mn steels, but general agreement exists that
avoiding the use of high strength steel with increased Mn is one means of reducing the likelihood of
preferential HAZ attack. The work of Brigham et al on steels for arctic waters [22]confirmed that Mn
content less than 1% tended to result in no gave preferential HAZ attack, 1.0-1.2% gave some
tendency and steels with 1.4%Mn led to HAZ attack. Increased heat input can help to reduce
preferential HAZ attack, but it was not possible to correlate to specific microstructures.
It was noted earlier that to avoid preferential HAZ corrosion, high heat inputs during welding are
preferred, but it was also stated that to retain the properties of accelerated cooled TMCP steels, low
heat input is necessary.Kumakura et al [31] studied the corrosion performance of welds in TMCP steels
with strengths in excess of 350MPa in order to demonstrate the acceptability of these materials in
shipbuilding applications, recognising the concerns for preferential weldment corrosion performance.
The conclusions were that the TMCP parameters could be suitably adjusted to result in bainite
microstructures for HAZ and the parent steel, and that welding consumables with controlled Cu and Ni
content were necessary to give improved resistance to preferential weldment corrosion compared with
a conventional normalised C-Mn ferrite-pearlite steel. Heat input ranges from 2 to 13kJ.mm -1 were
assessed for submerged arc welding, (SAW), manual metal arc welding (MMA) and flux cored arc
welding (FCAW) by testing for six months in an artificial seawater at 50°C with specimens rotated
at3.6-5m.s -1 . The results indicated that the parent steel corrosion rate exceeded that for HAZ or weld
metal, thus avoiding preferential corrosion.
The shipbuilding industry is taking advantage of new fabrication technology such as flux cored arc
welding (FCAW) and CO 2 laser welding and hybrid laser-arc welding offers further benefits. With any
change in welding process, it is particularly important to recognise how it may influence the weld area
microstructures and their likely properties. Due to the rapid cooling and absence of reheating for laser
and laser-arc hybrid welding, higher HAZ and weld metal hardness may be anticipated compared to
conventional arc processes, so a higher likelihood of preferential weld corrosion might be expected.
However, low weld metal inclusion levels will affect this effect for the weld metal. It is recommended
that the corrosion performance of such weldments be explored in parallel with their mechanical
performance, to adequately demonstrate fitness for purpose.
Damage may be sustained from corrosion, green water impact or collision, and dry docking for repair
is costly outside of scheduled maintenance due to loss of revenue. Additionally, for floating production
systems, which remain at the field location for many years, the costs associated with unplanned
suspension of production and dry docking of a ship-shaped floating production storage and offloading
(FPSO) vessel will be significant. Therefore, for fixed structures and FPSOs, long term durability of any
repair weld is a requirement, which may also be beneficial to a commercial vessel, which need not
then be docked for maintenance until the scheduled date.
Wet underwater repair in the marine environment offers the possibility of repair of ships without need
for dry-docking or costly coffer dams etc. With the present requirements for regular maintenance of
coatings, the need to repair damage such as areas of high corrosion rate, replacement of preferentially
corroded weldments etc. can be scheduled to fit with the planned intervals for commercial shipping.
However, if damage occurs necessitating repair, or coatings providing much longer intervals between
dry-docking become widely adopted, then wet underwater welding may provide a financially attractive
option for repair. Similarly, for ship-shaped FPSOs, the vessel is required to remain on station for
many years due to the high downtime costs associated with loss of production, and unplanned
shutdown would potentially incur costs between US$0.5-1million per day.
Underwater repair technology has been continuously developed over many years and Nixon provides
an overview of the available technologies suitable for repair in the splash zone and shallow water
depth for the oil & gas sector, which also have potential application in the shipping industry. [37] As
noted by Nixon, wet underwater welding dates back to World War I and is mainly manual metal arc
(MMA), but until recently the technique had limitations regarding application to steels in offshore
applications due to the riskof hydrogen cracking. Developments such as the use of nickel-based
electrodes and temper bead techniques (where multiple weld passes soften the HAZ of the previous
deposits) have provided the promise of wider application. The technology is used in the USA, and the
AWS Standard AWS D3.6 provides design guidance, but application in the UK North Sea has been
restricted to non-critical parts.
Many of the reported applications relate to the repair of structures, typically boat loading
platforms, [38] piling supports [39] and offshore platforms. [40] However, there are papers dealing with
the application of wet welds for the ship industry allowing vessels to continue in service and thus
which can be accepted as permanent. Hydroweld have been developing electrodes over a number of
years and claim that their product is accepted by the British Royal Navy for permanent repairs to
warships. [42] Trials on performance of commercial wet electrodes by TWI and MOD assessed the
handle ability from the diver-welder's perspective in combination with assessment of the weld
quality. [43]Ongoing work at TWI on the commercialisation of the underwater FCAW process from the
Paton Institute in Kiev, Ukraine and other confidential studies provide promise that this approach may
be even more widely applicable in future.
However, there are little data published on the corrosion performance of the welds produced by wet
underwater welding, or indeed by other underwater techniques. Savich et al report the assessment of
high Mn flux-cored wire deposits made underwater. [44] In their judgement, there was a potential
difference of 85-90mV between the weld metal and the parent steel but it was claimed that the weld
metal was cathodic and therefore not subject to localised corrosion. In view of the possible problems
of HAZ attack in high Mn steels, data on long term corrosion performance would be beneficial.
The major concerns regarding corrosion relate to the rapid cooling and thus hardening of an
underwater weld HAZ. Therefore it may be expected that preferential corrosion could occur. Also the
welds are difficult to produce with good profile and coatings need to be applied below the water-line,
all leading to possible concern. Industry will need to demonstrate that such repair welds are not prone
to preferential attack over long exposure periods as well as the necessary mechanical integrity, but of
course, much benefit can be taken from CP in those cases entirely below the water line.
Introductory comments
Corrosion resistant alloys (CRA) include materials such as the austenitic stainless steels, duplex
stainless steels, nickel-base alloys and titanium alloys. Their application in shipping is relatively
restricted to items such as chemical tanks and associated process pipework. However, for the oil & gas
exploration and production sector these alloys are in much wider use due to the need to handle the
corrosive fluids produced from the fields and, in the case of titanium alloys for structural weight
saving. With increasing use of FPSOs for economic production solutions for marginal fields and the
development of deepwater fields, the shipbuilding industry could consider the benefit of developing
necessary expertise to allow installation of the process equipment in addition to the construction of
the structure/hull.
As for carbon steels, the welding thermal cycle can influence the corrosion performance of weldments
in CRA, and therefore due consideration is required at fabrication. In addition vessel owners and
operators should be aware of potential areas where the likelihood of corrosion may be higher due to
physical configuration and presence of welds, and thus to plan for suitable inspection and maintenance
activities.
These alloys will normally be selected for their resistance to the process environment (corrosive gases
such as CO 2and H 2 S, high pressure, high temperature) and may be selected for seawater systems
but will obviously be exposed to the external marine environment, and as such consideration must be
given to the impact of welding on the corrosion performance. The potentially deleterious impact on
behaviour in sour service is beyond the scope of this article, but is widely recognised. In consideration
of the behaviour in a chloride-rich atmosphere within the hullor on the topside of ships, the external
limitations of the material will usually be dictated by the internal process fluid temperature. CRA whilst
usually resistant to general corrosion, are susceptible to localised corrosion such as pitting and crevice
attack which can be more prevalent at welds, particularly when the environment is close to the
operating envelope of the parent material. They may also be subject to stress corrosion cracking,
which is frequently associated preferentially with welds due to residual stress. Hydrogen
embrittlement of duplex stainless steels and martensitic stainless steels under CP has been
encountered recently and guidance is being developed for offshore pipelines to mitigate against this
phenomenon.
Reviews of the influence of welding on corrosion performance of stainless steels and CRA exist [18-21,
45] but in summary the key concerns in modern marine applications are:
Metallurgical variation across the weldment due to thermal history, different weld metal
Stainless steels
Stainless steels gain their resistance to corrosion from the formation of a passive layer of chromium
oxide, but this can be susceptible to localised breakdown in the presence of chlorides resulting in
pitting corrosion or crevice corrosion, which then propagates as the material cannot reform the
passive layer. Additions of molybdenum and nitrogen can enhance resistance to breakdown of the
passive film by chloride ions in austenitic stainless steels. A range of alloy compositions have been
developed for corrosion resistance (pitting or SCC) and/or improved strength, and thus the service
environment must be considered carefully together with likely weldment properties in selecting the
material grade. Welding can result in a reduction in corrosion resistance and therefore the welding
consumable composition is usually more highly alloyed to mitigate against localised corrosion. In the
dual phase duplex stainless steels it is important to maintain the phase balance of ferrite to austenite
to around 35-65% in the weldment to ensure adequate corrosion performance in combination with
resistance to SCC and necessary toughness for joint integrity.
Stainless steels are frequently compared on the basis of the pitting resistance equivalent number,
PREN, an empirical compositional parameter, indicating the benefit of Mo and N as mentioned above,
derived from:
PRE=%Cr+3.3%Mo+16%N
Gooch reviewed in detail the factors affecting weldments in stainless steels. [45] Segregation of
elements will occur in the weld metal during the rapid cooling of the molten weld pool. Due to this
segregation of elements such as chromium and molybdenum the weld metal will have a lower
corrosion resistance than the parent material. This is an issue in particular for super austenitic alloys
(e.g. 20-25%Cr, 20-25%Ni, 6%Mo, 0.2%N) where the Mo content can decrease to 4% in some parts
of the weld metal. Therefore it is common practice to use a nickel-based filler metal with around 9-
15%Mo but attack at the unmixed zone at the edge of the weld metal can be experienced at much
lower temperatures than expected based on weld metal composition. Intermetallic precipitation can
occur in high alloy austenitic stainless steels and duplex stainless steels, leading to a reduction in
corrosion resistance. Welding heat input is typically restricted to avoid practical problems.
Sensitisation ('weld decay') due to the formation of chromium carbides at the grain boundaries,
particularly in austenitic stainless steels, was a problem several decades ago. The modern steel
production methods used for the low carbon 'L' grades have generally reduced the carbon content and
thus eliminated this problem. The most likely cause of failure of these alloys in the shipping sector in
marine exposure will be pitting and crevice corrosion, and SCC if temperatures are above about 55°C.
Locations where salt accumulation can occur, crevices associated with weld flaws and poor paint
adherence will be the areas of most concern in the limited application of these alloys in the
shipbuilding and shipping sector.
In the shipping sector, CRAs are most likely to be used above the water line and therefore concerns
over microbiologically influenced corrosion will not occur. In seawater handling systems, the higher
grade alloys can be used and much data exists on their selection and sensitivity to crevice corrosion
etc in heat exchanger applications. [46]
Austenitic stainless steel AISI 316L has been used for offshore topsides tubing and pipework
applications, but due to localised corrosion was subject to replacement by duplex stainless steels (both
22 and 25%Cr grades) and super-austenitic stainless steels (containing 6%Mo). [47] 316L may be a
marginal alloy selection in conditions of direct exposure to chlorides from seawater and spray/mist,
but the additional costs of nickel base alloys means that for the shipping and offshore sectors
austenitic and duplex stainless steels represent the most cost effective material choice. If the
materials will be operating at temperatures in excess of about 50°C, 316L will not normally be used
without paint protection due to the concerns ofSCC. If the tubing/pipework is insulated then good
practice involves painting as there are concerns that moisture ingress to the occluded region will result
in corrosion under insulation. Bonding of adhesives and paints to stainlesssteels can be difficult and
therefore thermally sprayed aluminium (TSA), could be considered as a means of providing protection
at holidays etc, as described later.
In offshore applications, duplex stainless steels and superduplex stainless steels have often been used
at temperatures up to about 80°C without concern for coating, although in many circumstances paints
will have been applied, particularly for insulated components. However, it appears that there are
localised corrosion or SCC as discussed later. [48] SCC can propagate very rapidly once initiated and
therefore good corrosion mitigation is a pre-requisite for reducing the likelihood of any loss of
containment due to pin-holes or cracking.
Titanium
Titanium (commercial purity grade alloys, Grades 1-4) is often favoured in the offshore sector for
seawater handling and heat exchanger duties due to its particular resistance to corrosion in seawater.
Other alloys are available with Al and V alloying (e.g. Ti6Al4V Grade 5) and Ruthenium or Palladium
additions to enhance corrosion performance further if needed, e.g. for high temperature operation.
Welding is relatively straight-forward providing excellent inert gas shielding practice is adhered to and
thus the alloys are attractive for a long term installation. [49] The material is also likely to retain some
value at end of life and on a life cycle cost basis can be accepted over less expensive materials due to
the avoidance of maintenance and replacement. There are some concerns over the possibility of
sustained load cracking for higher grade alloys which may require further investigation by industry
particularly where the alloys are being used for structural and pressure containment applications with
long term loading. The phenomena is characterised by failures over extended periods in cases where
the stress intensity factor K ISCC is less than the critical value for K lc that necessary for a crack to
propagate under impact load.
Aluminium alloys in the 5xxx series of Al-Mg alloys are readily weldable, have good corrosion
resistance in marine conditions, but with higher Mg content cold work and ageing can lead to
sensitisation to SCC. [50] Alloy 5083 can be used in marine environments without coatings etc provided
it is not sensitised to corrosion. The study assessed the performance of welds in alloy 5454 (2.6%Mg)
and 5083 (4.6%Mg) produced by MIG welding with consumables of different Mg content and
autogenous welds from electron beam welding. The materials were tested for SCC as U-bend
specimens immersed in 3%NaCl, including some samples heat treated to sensitise them. Localised
corrosion occurred in both MIG welded aluminium alloy grades related to segregation of Mg to the
weld toe. Stress corrosion occurred in 5454 sensitised welds made with filler with Mg ≥3.7% but not
in sensitised plate, HAZ or weld metals with Mg ≤2.8%, or in any specimens which were not
sensitised. Weld metal pitting occurred in all MIG welds in 5454 plate where the Mg content of the
weld metal was greater than the 2.6% of the plate material. Using a matching consumable (Mg 4.8%)
with 5083 alloy resulted in SCC of sensitised MIG weld metal and HAZ but not the electron beam weld
metal or HAZ, nor indeed the unsensitised MIG weld. It was concluded that sensitised 5083 should not
be used in conditions likely to lead to stress corrosion and 5454 may be used in welded form if welded
autogenously or with a matching filler metal.
In the past decade, significant developments have been made with new welding processes involving
friction stir welding (FSW) which was invented by TWI in 1991 and this process is now commercially
applied for welding aluminium alloys in the shipbuilding industry and many other
sectors. [51] Scandinavian aluminium extruders were the first to commercially apply the process for the
manufacture of hollow aluminium panels for deep-freezing of fish and for making panels for ship
decks. Friction stir welded structures are now revolutionising the way in which high-speed ferry boats
and cruise ships are built from prefabricated lightweight modules. It is believed that no specific
problems of corrosion of FSW weldments have been reported in alloys of interest to the shipping
sector to date (5xxx and 6xxx series).
There are few data available in the public domain on corrosion of FSW welds in 5xxx and 6xxx series
alloys. Frankel and Xia [52] examined welds in 5454 (in O and H34 tempers) and Reynolds [53] also
reported on 5454-O. In both instances, they compared results with TIG welds. No appreciable attack
was noted in the friction stir welds, which performed as well as or better than TIG welds. Frankel and
Xia reported susceptibility to SCC in anodically polarised slow strain rate tests. However, this result
should be viewed with some caution as the testing conditions were very severe; Frankel and Xia do
point out that SCC tests repeated on U-bend specimens did not reveal any susceptibility. TWI has
performed corrosion tests (salt spray and alternate immersion SCC) on 5083-O, as part of a
confidential JIP.
There is only one published study on a friction stir welded 6xxx series alloy by Reynolds [53] (alloy
6061-T4). Tests showed that the friction stir weld was less susceptible than its TIG welded counterpart
in an intergranular corrosion test. TWI has also performed confidential tests (salt spray) on 6082-T6 in
the same JIPas stated above.
Considering the steel structural components and storage tanks in ships, paint systems are required to
provide protection against the marine environment and much development is focused upon organic
based or silane systems tailored to meet the varying demands from total immersion, splash zone,
decking, ullage space, ballast water and crude oil storage etc. For immersed conditions, it is normal
practice to incorporate a cathodic protection system as well, either impressed current (external hull)
or sacrificial (within storage tanks, or for marine structures/pipelines and risers). Paints act purely as
barrier coatings in mitigating marine corrosion; excluding the anti-fouling systems with functional
properties for self polishing or controlled release of biocides etc. The need for CP is due to the
anticipated degradation of the coating system during operation, which would otherwise allow corrosion
of the substrate steel to occur unchecked.
Selection of paint systems to protect the process equipment on oil & gas production topsides and
floating production systems, or risers may be inappropriate when operating temperatures are high, or
there is need for coating life to match that of the field development. In such cases, the application of
TSA may offer the ability to enhance the mitigation provided by a paint barrier system with
augmentation by galvanic protection, possibly in combination with cathodic protection for immersed
components. The benefits of such coating systems have been demonstrated on civil structures and
offshore jackets, and may provide enhanced opportunities to extend the life to first maintenance for
coated steel on shipping above the waterline. There is potential also for consideration of use below the
waterline and in occluded regions such as storage and ballast tanks, double-hulled tankers etc and in
the ullage space. With the likelihood of protection for 20 years, thermally sprayed aluminium may
offer the avoidance of need for re-coating the topsides on a vessel with a 25 year design life.
As noted above, the preferential weldment corrosion of carbon steels can be avoided where suitable
corrosion protection is applied, inspected and maintained. There are also cases where it may be
advantageous to protect corrosion resistant alloys. For all coating systems, the initial surface
preparation is critical and this can be made more difficult at welds due to their physical location,
geometry and roughened surface profile in contrast with plate material. Coatings which are more
tolerant of holidays such as those using thermally sprayed zinc or aluminium, which impart galvanic
protection, may be more suited (in combination with a sealant) to application in such areas than paint
systems alone.
Thermally sprayed zinc (TSZ) or aluminium can be applied to protect steel, but in acidic or neutral
conditions aluminium is favoured. In areas where stainless steels are used, there are concerns about
the presence of zinc due to the potential for liquid metal embrittlement in the case of a fire and thus
aluminium is again favoured in this respect. Thermally sprayed aluminium offers the benefit of
providing local galvanic protection of the substrate steel and has been used in the civil engineering
and oil & gas sectors successfully. In the civil sector engineering sector, TSA has been used to protect
bridges and for the oil & gas sector it has been applied to offshore structures. Insplash zone and
atmospheric exposure, the TSA (and TSZ) allow coatings to remain protective even if the organic
sealant is damaged due to abrasion or impact. Immersion allows the coating to protect the substrate
where larger holidays are present and the galvanic coupled area can protect the exposed steel. A
reduction in consumption rates of sacrificial anodes is also anticipated.
Work by Swidzinski [54] assessed the coating protection of a typical offshore structure. He
demonstrated that the initial cost of application for a zinc primer and polysiloxane coating system was
£21.50 per square metre (assumed as baseline costi.e. 1), and therefore the relative costs for TSA
and sealant system (1.15) was similar, but slightly higher, than that for a four coat zinc epoxy and
polyurethane (1.10), whilst the addition of a finish coat to the TSA and sealant raised the cost to a
factor of 1.25. However, major cost savings occurred when consideration was given to the total cost
for application and the necessary maintenance over 20 years, where a paint system was double the
cost of the TSAsystem.
These TSA coatings are damage tolerant and as such can be used on areas subject to impact or wear.
Alcan Aluminium produced a variant to enhance the wear and abrasion resistance through
incorporation of alumina in the wire, as an aluminium matrix composite, which could be thermally
sprayed (Duralcan 90/10). These TSA coatings may provide enhanced protection to superstructure
and decking etc.
As noted in the Cost of Corrosion survey for the USA in 2002 [2] , there appears to be a barrier in the
shipping sector to accepting the initial higher cost for an improved coating system, driven by change
in ownership etc. However, as there are concerns regarding the corrosion within double-hulled
tankers, coating systems with additional galvanic capabilities may offer improved confidence in
corrosion mitigation.
Presently the oil & gas industry has concerns about the ability of organic paint systems on steel to
withstand elevated temperature operation and to last the >35 years needed for a sub sea
development. As such, TSA may offer the opportunity for extended coating life and is presently the
subject of a Joint Industry Project at TWI [55] to assess performance on steel risers which can operate
at temperatures up to about 90°C in the splash zone. In this case, TSA is being considered to extend
the coating life to that of the field development which can be up to 50 years.
As noted previously, corrosion resistant alloys such as austenitic and duplex stainless steels can be
subject to corrosion problems at welds in the marine environment. In the case of the latter group of
22%Cr and 25%Cr alloys, there is now a concern about the performance of organic paints under
insulation on hot process equipment on the topsides of oil & gas production facilities. These alloys can
fail due to stress corrosion cracking stress corrosion or pitting and crevice corrosion at elevated
temperature in marine operation, perhaps with salt accumulation etc. Stress corrosion cracking
propagates rapidly and so it is vital that the coating system prevents moisture contacting the
substrate. Paints only offer a barrier protection, and areas of damage may allow localised
corrosion/cracking to occur. TWI is assessing the performance of TSA as a system to provide improved
mitigation against such attack, whereby the galvanic protection of the aluminium allows the coating to
maintain protection even at locations where damage has occurred. [48]
Similarly, the benefit of a TSA or TSZ based coating system with sealant, applied in hot crude oil
storage tanks in transport tankers or FPSOs, may allow the coating to last considerably longer. The
immersed region at the bottom ofthe tank is problematic as water, debris and heavy oil can
accumulate, possibly impacting upon the sacrificial anode performance and the moist ullage space can
be an aggressive environment also, particularly due to the heat generated by the crude oil and the
presence of acidic condensate. Improved coating performance will allow a reduction in the frequency
of maintenance and re-coating, and if the coating is sufficiently robust, it could provide significant cost
saving.
Thermally sprayed metallic coatings involving the spraying of corrosion resistant alloys may also be
considered. These coatings can include titanium, alloy 625 and similar, but due to the porous nature of
the deposited layer requires a sealant to avoid galvanic corrosion of the substrate steel. Presently, it
seems unlikely that there will be many applications in the shipping sector for such coatings other than
in chemical storage tanks etc.
Conclusions
Welding typically reduces the corrosion and stress corrosion performance of materials and it is
essential that appropriate mitigation measures are employed to weldments intended for marine
applications.
When the corrosion mitigation measures are poor or may fail, such as degradation of coatings with
Whilst the underlying principles of preferential weld corrosion are broadly understood, small
changes in weld metal chemistry and hardness may be significant, and it is essential that the
behaviour of joints produced by improved productivity or new processes are characterised.
Particular examples of potential relevance to the marine industry are laser and laser-arc hybrid
welding of steels, underwater repairs and friction stir welding of aluminium alloys.
Thermal spraying technologies providing coatings with improved corrosion mitigation should be
assessed for their ability to extend coating life and time to first maintenance for steels and their
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