Innovative Stainless Steel Applications in transport ... - Euro Inox

(a) (b)
Figure 29. Salt-spray test arrangements used in the projects: (a) BUS project tube and sheet
details and (b) DOLTRAC panel sample sections.
Field test
Field testing is the only type of test that provides information from actual service
conditions. The disadvantages are that such tests are expensive and time-consuming and
have to be performed at several locations, to take account of the effects of local
environmental variations. In the BUS project, long-term field tests with durations of up
to almost two years were performed in three locations, each with different climatic
conditions, to ensure valid results (Table 11).
Table 11. The details of the field corrosion tests (BUS).
Location Climate type Vehicle type Test duration Total distance
(months) (km)
Helsinki urban with de-icing salt local bus 23 87,040
Rome urban inland local bus 18 42,011
Bay of Gibraltar marine local bus 21 59,320
Spain (Madrid) urban inland coach 19 105,395
These tests were performed using test racks mounted under buses or coaches in regular
service. Mock-ups and different kinds of weld samples were also included in the tests,
to obtain reliable long-term information about corrosion performance, for design and
manufacturing purposes (Figure 30). More detailed information concerning the test
procedures can be found in BUS (p. 222).
36