Corrosion Engineering Services

Soil Corrosivity Testing & Interpretation

Soil corrosivity testing measures soil properties that can affect buried materials. The results help characterize exposure, but they do not by themselves state an exact corrosion rate or service life.

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Service overview

What this service involves

Testing may include soil resistivity, pH, soluble chlorides, sulfates, sulfides, redox potential, nitrates, ammonia, and related indicators selected for the material and project question.

Calicore can provide raw laboratory data, field measurements, or an engineering interpretation that considers the combined test results and site context. Specialty laboratory work is performed through Soil Tests Laboratory, Calicore Engineering’s materials-testing division.

Step by step

How the process works

The exact scope is matched to the project, but a typical assignment follows these steps.

01
Define the material and question
We review the buried asset, material, coating, depth, native or imported soil, project criteria, and whether the work supports design or investigation.
02
Plan representative testing
Field locations, depths, in-situ measurements, sample handling, and laboratory chemistry are selected for the actual exposure.
03
Measure and document
Resistivity, pH, soluble salts, sulfides, redox, or other requested indicators are recorded with the applicable sample and site conditions.
04
Interpret the combined results
When included, the report explains what the results mean for the specific material without presenting one value as an exact corrosion rate or service life.

Review criteria

What the design team or reviewer needs from soil corrosivity testing

Results must be traceable to a location, depth, method, and sample condition before they can be applied to a buried-material decision.

Exact field or sample locations and depths
Field versus laboratory method, preparation, moisture condition, and units
The governing project, owner, or agency criteria
Material-specific interpretation and any limits on site-wide conclusions

What you receive

Typical project deliverables

Project-specific test program
Laboratory or in-situ test results
Corrosivity classification and interpretation
Material and investigation recommendations when requested

Common project needs

When this service is useful

Buried water and wastewater utilities
Grounding and transmission projects
Pipeline failure investigations
Material-selection studies

Frequently asked