Corrosion-proof concrete sewers resistant to climate change and weather extremes

Concrete sewer corrosion is a long-standing problem, which costs millions of dollars to the Queensland water industry every year. The Queensland weather environment (hot with increasing temperatures due to tropical weather and climate change) increase the sewer corrosion rate, which is primarily caused by microbial sulfide oxidation on the concrete surface. Extreme weather events like floods and droughts aggravate the corrosion through different mechanisms including microbial inoculation, higher hydrogen sulfide production, and more exposed concrete pipe surfaces.

Funding

• Queensland Government

Collaborators

• QLD Water

Project Outcomes

Utilising a newly discovered and environmentally benign antimicrobial agent, this project will develop an innovative technology and the underpinning science to control the corrosion-inducing sewer biofilms. To prevent corrosion of new sewers, a precursor chemical agent can be added to the cement as an admixture. The corrosion-resistant concrete material can also be used to repair/rehabilitate existing sewers. The project will substantially enhance the service life of both existing and new sewer systems in tropical Queensland, minimising the service threat posed by climate change and extreme weather.

Publications

Papers

• Sun, X., Jiang, G., Bond, P.L., Keller, J. and Yuan, Z. (2015) A novel and simple treatment for control of sulfide induced sewer concrete corrosion using free nitrous acid. Water Research 70(0), 279-287.
• Jiang, G., Sun, J., Sharma, K.R. and Yuan, Z. (2015) Corrosion and odor management in sewer systems. Current Opinion in Biotechnology 33, 192-197.
• Gutierrez, O., Jiang, G., Sharma, K. and Yuan, Z. (2016) Biofilm Development in Sewer Networks in Aquatic Biofilms: Ecology, Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment. Romaní, A.M., Guasch, H. and Balaguer, M.D. (eds), p. 230, Caister Academic Press.
• Jiang, G., Sun, X., Keller, J. and Bond, P.L. (2015) Identification of controlling factors for the initiation of corrosion of fresh concrete sewers. Water Research 80, 30-40.

Conference proceedings

• Jiang, G., Sun, X., Bond, P., Keller, J. and Yuan, Z. (2015) Control of microbial corrosion in sewers using a green biocidal agent In:  EuroCorr 2015, 6-10 September 2015,  Graz, Austria.
• Jiang, G., Chiu, T.H., Zhou, M., Sun, X., Bond, P., Yuan, Z. and Keller, J. (2015) Concrete sewer corrosion due to wastewater inoculation In:  EuroCorr 2015, 6-10 September 2015,  Graz, Austria.
• Jiang, G., Yuan, Z., Keller, J. and Bond, P. (2015) Predicting the corrosion initiation time of fresh concrete sewers by artificial neural network In:  9th IWA Symposium on Systems Analysis and Integrated Assessment, 14-17 June 2015,  Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Poster presentations

• Jiang, G., Yuan, Z., Bond, P. and Keller, J. (2015) Predicting the corrosion initiation time of fresh concrete sewers by artificial neural network In:  EuroCorr 2015, 6-10 September 2015,  Graz, Austria.