Learning lessons from forensic investigations of corrosion failures

Lessons and solutions learned from the forensic investigation of corrosion failures need to be applied throughout the lifecycle of structures. Avoiding misplaced solutions during both design and operating phases relies upon a disciplined and professional forensic approach for all corrosion failure investigations. This paper sets out the elements of the approach and explains how lessons can be learned to prevent future corrosion failures. In particular it describes the macroscopic and microscopic methods required for accurate identification of corrosion failure mechanisms and successful root-cause analysis.