An electromechanical impedance-based sensor for monitoring the pitting corrosion of steel: Simulation with experimental validation

Quantitative monitoring of steel corrosion plays a crucial role in evaluating structural safety and predicting structural performance. The electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique has already emerged for uniform corrosion monitoring. This study explores its potential for pitting corrosion monitoring. Specifically, two EMI-based sensor designs were proposed, namely the cylinder and the tube structures. Finite element models were developed to analyze the influence of the pit's location, morphology parameters, as well as the random distribution of multiple pits, on the conductance peak frequency of sensors. The computer numerical controlled processes were employed to create random pits on sensors. Experimental results revealed that different distributions of pits correspond to distinct conductance peak frequencies, even with the same mass loss. Additionally, the tubular sensor exhibited reduced sensitivity to pits distribution compared to the cylindrical sensor. This is beneficial for accurately predicting mass loss induced by random pitting. This paper enhances the capability of EMI-based sensors for quantitatively monitoring pitting corrosion by focusing on structural design aspects.