Some corrosion problems associated with underwater turbines

This thesis deals with corrosion problems of underwater turbines in marine environment. The effect of a tensile stress on the uniform corrosion rate of a metal bar is studied, and an analytical model predicting the time of service of a bar under a tensile load in a corrosive environment is proposed. Stress corrosion relationships are provided for different type of alloys, and different types of relationships. Dolinskii's and Gutman's models are studied and extended to a general order polynomial, along with a Least Square and Spline Interpolation of the experimental data. In a second part, the effect of the passive film, delaying the initiation of the corrosion process, is studied. Finally, an algorithm predicting the time of service of a cracked bar is provided, using the stress corrosion assumption, along with a validation using experimental data.