IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,235,204
Granted Patent B2
US 12,235,204 · App. 17/777,156 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Corrosion amount estimation apparatus and corrosion amount estimation method

Inventors: Shota Oki (Musashino, JP); Shingo Mineta (Musashino, JP); Mamoru Mizunuma (Musashino, JP); Masayuki Tsuda (Musashino, JP)
Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
G01N17/02G01N17/006
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,235,204
App. No.
17/777,156
Granted
Feb 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A corrosion amount estimation apparatus that estimates the corrosion amount of a metal material buried in the ground, the apparatus including: a soil adjustment unit that dries the target soil; a water permeability measurement unit that measures the water permeability of the soil after supplying water to the dried soil; and a corrosion estimation unit that estimates the corrosion amount of the metal material when buried in the soil using the water permeability.

Claims (22)

1. A corrosion amount estimation apparatus that estimates a corrosion amount of a metal material buried in the ground, the apparatus comprising:

a soil adjustment unit that configured to dry a target soil;

a water permeability measurement unit configured to measure a water permeability of the soil after supplying water to the dried soil; and

a corrosion estimation unit configured to estimate the corrosion amount of the metal material when buried in the soil using the water permeability, wherein

the water permeability measurement unit measures a change time until a color of the soil completely changes to a color after wetting due to water absorption as the water permeability by image analysis, and

the corrosion estimation unit calculates a particle size of the soil using the change time, and estimates the corrosion amount of the metal material based on the particle size.

2. The corrosion amount estimation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the water permeability measurement unit measuring the change time required for the color of the soil to completely change to the color after wetting comprises:

acquiring images of the soil as the water is supplied to the soil;

performing image analysis of the images; and

measuring a time that the image analysis shows that the color of the soil has completely changed to the color after wetting.

3. The corrosion amount estimation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein corrosion estimation unit estimates the corrosion amount of the metal material when buried in the soil using the water permeability by applying a Direct Current (DC) polarization resistance method or an Alternating Current (AC) impedence method.

4. A corrosion amount estimation method for estimating a corrosion amount of a metal material buried in the ground performed by a corrosion amount estimation apparatus, the method comprising:

adjusting a target soil by drying;

measuring a water permeability of the soil after supplying water to the dried soil; and

estimating the corrosion amount of the metal material when buried in the soil using the water permeability, wherein

the measuring includes measuring a change time required for a color of the soil to completely change to a color after wetting due to water absorption as the water permeability by image analysis, and

the estimating includes calculating a particle size of the soil using the change time, and estimating the corrosion amount of the metal material based on the particle size.

5. The corrosion amount estimationg method according to claim 4 , wherein measuring the change time required for the color of the soil to completely change to the color after wetting comprises:

acquiring images of the soil as the water is supplied to the soil;

performing image analysis of the images; and

measuring a time that the image analysis shows that the color of the soil has completely changed to the color after wetting.

6. The corrosion amount estimation method according to claim 4 , wherein estimating the corrosion amount of the metal material when buried in the soil using the water permeability comprises applying a Direct Current (DC) polarization resistance method or an Alternating Current (AC) impedence method.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2022
From: OKI, SHOTA; MINETA, SHINGO; MIZUNUMA, MAMORU; TSUDA, MASAYUKI
To: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059918/0427 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220390354A1 · Dec 8, 2022
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