Soil Testing
Matergenics – Pittsburgh has created a specialized market in soil corrosivity, corrosion risk assessment and identification of corrosive hot-spots for underground assets and infrastructure that is not considered by traditional Close Internal Surveys (CIS) and circumvent functioning cathodic protection (CP). Our dedicated soil lab has rapid turn-around times and is supported by a multidiscipline team of soil specialists, NACE certified materials and corrosion engineers, CP design and installation specialists, coatings specialists, chemists, and certified lab and field technicians.
Standard Soil Tests by Matergenics
- AASHTO T290: Sulfate Ion Content in Soil
- AASHTO T291: Chloride Ion Content in Soil
- ASTM C1580: Sulfate Ion Content in Soil
- ASTM D1498: Redox Potential of Water
- ASTM D2216: Moisture Content of Soil
- ASTM D2487: Soil Classification
- ASTM D421: Dry Prep SOIL SAMPLES
- ASTM D4318: Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, Plastic Index of Soils
- ASTM D422: Particle Size Analysis of Soils
- ASTM D4972: pH of Soils
- ASTM G102: Corrosion Rate
- ASTM G51: pH of Soil for Corrosion
- ASTM G57: Soil Resistivity
- ASTM D4658: Sulfide Ion in Water
- ASTM G162: Conducting and Evaluating Lab Soil Corrosion Tests
- ASTM D512: Chloride Ion in Water MIC Tests
In summary, we can determine soil chemistry, estimate soil corrosivity, quantify corrosion risk, predict the corrosion rate and life expectancy of given underground asset based on chemistry of a soil environment it is exposed to. Having this data will enable you to predict the remaining life and if you must install cathodic protection system to maintain your assets.
Know your soil chemistry
We at Matergenics have the expertise to provide you with corrosion rate and recommendation that is specific to your application.
Matergenics Soil Lab
The combination of field and lab analysis provides essential data for geotechnical, asset management, site surveys, CP installations, and failure analysis.
We provide soil testing for the following parameters:
SIMPLE SOIL CHEMISTRY
pH, Resistivity, Chlorides, Sulfate, Sulfide, Moisture, Redox Potential
CORROSION RATE DETERMINATION
Mils/year (mpy), Instantaneous Corrosion Rate
MIC CONTENT IN SOIL STUDY
Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB), Acid Producing Bacteria (APB)
PREDICTIVE MODELING
Long Term Corrosion Behavior, Corrosion Mitigation
Corrosion over Time
Predictive Modeling for Soil
Knowing the corrosion rate helps to understand whether coating or cathodic protection is required.
Predictive Models for Corrosion Penetration and Pitting
The following criteria are used for the recommended predictive models:
- Validation against short term and long term corrosion data
- Dependency of model parameters to relevant physiochemical properties
Using our unique algorithms developed by expert corrosion engineers, the soil around a buried metallic asset is assigned a soil corrosivity (SC) rating that is based on a number of parameters including soil resistivity, pH, chlorides, sulfates, and linear resistance polarization corrosion data, These ratings identify high soil corosivity areas where assets are located and, based on these ratings, decisions for inspection frequency, prioritization, and long term planning can be made with confidence. This approach is what distinguished us from our competition.
Based on chemical analysis and corrosion performance parameters of the soil, we are able to predict the corrosion rate and pitting in the given soil. Life expectancy and remaining life is predictable in corrosive soils by our predictive model that is based on filed evaluations and laboratory testing of soil.
