The Inclusion of Acidic and Stormwater Flows in Concrete Sewer Corrosion Mitigation Studies

Concrete sewer pipes can be deteriorated by sulfuric acid (H2SO4), which is created by the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide in the presence of certain bacteria inside the sewers. This process is called biocorrosion. In this paper, H2SO4 (i.e., chemical, non-biogenic) was used to study acid attack on concrete samples. The authors conducted experiments under different acid flows and concentrations, to account for the conditions prevailing in sewage networks exposed to flowing acidic waters. The effect of intermittent stormwater on the removal of protective layers was studied in addition to constant flow runs. Specimens’ erosion depth was measured with a Vernier micrometer. In addition, unconfined compression at an axial strain rate of 0.0016 mm/mm/min was used for the estimation of unconfined compressive strength and elastic modulus. Moreover, the formation of gypsum as a protective layer and its role in biocorrosion was discussed. From this study, it was concluded that although the utilization of constant flowrates of acidic waters represents an important indication of corrosion mechanism, intermittent sewage and water flows should be taken into account, corresponding to real conditions in sewage networks, and resulting into accelerated concrete corrosion. Stormwater in combined sewers could remove the protective gypsum layer, thus accelerating chemical corrosion; however, in the presence of biogenic H2SO4, the removal of gypsum by excess flows due to stormwater could have a positive effect on corrosion mitigation. Finally, for combined sewers, selected coatings should withstand the effect of stormwater and high-velocity water flow tests should be included in future studies.