Abstract
The relationship between the corrosion activity and the ingress and egress of moisture within transiently wet occluded regions was evaluated. Water ingress and egress kinetics for pristine and corroded aluminium alloy lap joints were determined using embedded fibre optic moisture sensors and the corrosion activity inside the lap joint was monitored using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. Water ingress was very rapid (> 1 mm min−1) whereas egress under dry and ambient conditions was much slower (< 0.2 mm min−1). The difference between wetting and drying kinetics was exacerbated for corroded joints. Wetting with saline solution caused a rapid, significant increase in corrosion activity in comparison to ambient humidity conditions. During drying, a transient increase prior to cessation in corrosion activity occurred, probably as a result of the increase in chloride concentration. The efficacy of simultaneously monitoring moisture and the corrosion activity within lap joints by combining these experimental tools is demonstrated.
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