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Received: October 11, 2018; Revised: October 29, 2018; Accepted: October 29, 2018
Abstract: Atmospheric corrosion is generally an electrochemical degradation process of metal. It can be caused by various corrosion factors of atmospheric component, weather, and air pollutants. Moisture, particles of sea salts, and sulfur dioxide are major factors in atmospheric corrosion. Galvanizing coating is one of the most efficient ways to protect iron from corrosion by zinc plating on the surface of the iron. Galvanized steels are being widely used in automobiles, building structures, roofing, and other industrial structures due to their high corrosion resistance compared to bare iron. Atmospheric corrosion of galvanized steel has shown complex corrosion behavior depending on coating process, coating thickness, atmospheric environment, and air pollutants. In addition, different types and kinds of corrosion products can be produced depending on the environment. Lifespan of galvanized steels is also affected by the environment. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the corrosion behavior of galvanized steel under atmospheric corrosion at six locations in Korea. When the exposure time was increased, content of zinc from GA surface decreased while contents of iron and oxygen tended to increase. On the other hand, content of iron was constant even after 36 months of exposure of GI.