The Handbook of Corrosion Engineering was designed entirely in collaboration with Martin Tullmin. In fact, Martin is the sole author of many sections of the book (corrosion in concrete, soil corrosion and cathodic protection) as well as an important contributor to many others. My acknowledgments also go to Robert Klassen who contributed to the atmospheric corrosion section as well as for his study of the fiber optic sensors for corrosion monitoring.
As I mentioned in the Preface, this book tries to summarize the present state of our knowledge of the corrosion phenomena and their impact on our societies. Many of the opinions expressed in the Handbook have come either from my work with collaborators or, more often, from my study of the work of other corrosion engineers and scientists. Of the first kind I am particularly indebted to Ken Trethewey with whom I have had many enlightening discussions that sometimes resulted in published articles. I also have to thank the congenial experts I interacted with in corrosion standard writing committees (ISO TC 156 and ASTM G01) for their expert advice and the rigor that is required in the development of new procedures and test methods.
Of the second kind I have to recognize the science and engineering pillars responsible for the present state of our knowledge in corrosion. The names of some of these giants have been mentioned throughout the book with a particular recognition made in the Introduction in Table I.4. In this respect, my personal gratitude goes to Professor Roger Staehle for his pragmatic vision of the quantification of corrosion damage. I have been greatly inspired by the work of this great man.
I would also like to take this occasion to express my love to those close to me, and particularly to Diane whose endurance of my working habits is phenomenal.
Corrosion is the destructive attack of a material by reaction with its environment. The serious consequences of the corrosion process have become a problem of worldwide significance. In addition to our everyday encounters with this form of degradation, corrosion causes plant shutdowns, waste of valuable resources, loss or contamination of product, reduction in efficiency, costly maintenance, and expensive overdesign; it also jeopardizes safety and inhibits technological progress. The multidisciplinary aspect of corrosion problems combined with the distributed responsibilities associated with such problems only increase the complexity of the subject. Corrosion control is achieved by recognizing and understanding corrosion mechanisms, by using corrosion-resistant materials and designs, and by using protective systems, devices, and treatments. Major corporations, industries, and government agencies have established groups and committees to look after corrosion-related issues, but in many cases the responsibilities are spread between the manufacturers or producers of systems and their users. Such a situation can easily breed negligence and be quite costly in terms of dollars and human lives.
Pierre R. Roberge
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