Peridynamic modeling of pitting corrosion damage

Abstract In this paper we introduce a peridynamic model for the evolution of damage from pitting corrosion capable of capturing subsurface damage. We model the anodic reaction in corrosion processes (in which electroplating is negligible) as an effective peridynamic diffusion process in the electrolyte/solid system coupled with a phase-change mechanism that allows for autonomous evolution of the moving interface. In order to simulate creation of subsurface damage, we introduce a corrosion damage model based on a stochastic relationship that connects the concentration in the metal to the damage of peridynamic mechanical-bonds that are superposed onto diffusion-bonds. We study convergence of this formulation for diffusion-dominated stage. The model leads to formation of a subsurface damage layer, seen in experiments. We validate results against experiments on pit growth rate and polarization data for pitting corrosion. We extend the 1D model to the 2D and 3D, and introduce a new damage-dependent corrosion model to account for broken mechanical bonds that enhance the corrosion rate. This coupled model can predict the pit shape and damage profile in materials with microstructural heterogeneities, such as defects, interfaces, inclusions, and grain boundaries.