Atmospheric test-sites

Atmospheric corrosion tests consist in the exposure of samples to atmospheric conditions at test-sites and in their periodic evaluation. To expose materials and their surface coatings to all factors of atmospheric environment is only possible by their exposure to a realistic environment whilst studying all parameters of that environment. The performance of corrosion testing is experimentally and time demanding. Continual measurements of environmental parameters - temperature, humidity, sun radiation, amount of rainfall, pollution by SO₂, NO_x end O₃, pH and conductivity of rainfall, content of chlorides, sulfates and nitrates in rainfall are carried out. Due to a slow rate of atmospheric corrosion it is recommended for the exposure to last for 1 year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years or 20 years according to the corrosion stability of a tested material.

Atmospheric testing plays a key role in a basic and also applied research of corrosive behavior of materials and surface treatments. SVÚOM Ltd. has had atmospheric test-sites in operation for over 25 years now in different areas of the Czech Republic, which differ climatically and also in the level of atmospheric pollution (see the map):

• Prague (Holešovice) - city environment with a significant influence of pollution caused by traffic
• Kopisty near Most - industrial environment with a combined influence of industrial pollution and traffic
• Kašperské Hory - country environment in a cool mountain region

Basic environmental parameters of atmospheric test-sites for the year 2007 are:

Tests performed directly under atmospheric conditions and carried out either on experimental samples or the follow-up and evaluation of the condition of attacked components or parts of equipment, strongly increase the reliability and applicability of results gained e.g. by accelerated laboratory testings.

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