In the past, engineers with responsibility for corrosion aspects of a design have often been faced with the need to adopt a strategy of 'Design it, Build it, Start testing', and then find what works and what doesn't. 

However, advances in computer modelling mean that simulation studies are increasingly being embedded in the design phase to evaluate corrosion behaviour and perform parametric studies to assist the optimisation of the solution selected. Whilst modelling will never eliminate the need for monitoring structures, it can provide valuable inputs to the validation of the design; enable a substantial reduction in the risk of failure and aid engineers in the identification of critical areas where subsequent monitoring can be effectively focused.

For information on corrosion modelling case studies, please click here 

Tom Curtin from BEASY's office in Massachusetts presented a paper at the recent MARELEC conference entitled "Evaluating effects of roll on corrosion-related UEP using simulation". The paper describes some recent developments in BEASY's Signature Management software which is used to predict the corrosion related electric and magnetic signatures of Naval vessels.

Such studies are normally conducted assuming the vessel is located on the sea surface at an average draft and the modelling mesh developed around that condition. However in reality the wetted hull area varies both with load and as a result of pitch and roll. This directly affects the performance of the ICCP/CP system, and may change the destination and magnitude of current flowing from the anodes. Such effects may result in the generation of a low frequency variation in the electric field (ELFE). In this paper new technology is applied to simulate the effects of motion of the vessel on the static and ELFE fields.