Estimation of Corrosion Rates of Structural Members in Oil Tankers

Abstract

An accurate estimation of corrosion rates plays an important role in determining corrosion allowances for structural designs, planning for inspections, and scheduling for maintenance. This paper presents an estimation of corrosion rates of structural members in oil tankers based on a corrosion wastage database of over 110,000 thickness measurements from 140 single hull oil tankers. Corrosion rates may be described by a Weibull distribution function. Mean, standard deviation and maximum values of corrosion rates for structural members are obtained based on the entire population of the database. They are compared with the ranges of corrosion rate published by Tanker Structure Co-operative Forum (TSCF). The study aims to update knowledge on corrosion rates in steel ships, and to contribute to the efforts of mitigating the risks of corrosion.