Effect of tensile stress on the corrosion morphology and multifractal characteristics of DH36 steel in a neutral salt spray environment

Abstract

This study investigates the corrosion behavior and morphology evolution of DH36 high-strength ship plate steel under various tensile stress levels in a neutral salt spray environment, utilizing multifractal analysis. Three groups of corrosion tests revealed that corrosion morphology evolves in three stages: initiation, pitting dominance, and uniform corrosion. The multifractal spectrum shape parameters effectively characterize the corrosion features and changes in rate and depth. Tensile stress, especially at 60 % yield strength, significantly accelerates corrosion. The study demonstrates that multifractal theory provides a comprehensive description of corrosion morphology, offering new insights into the stress-corrosion coupling in high-strength steel.