This European Standard establishes a classification system for the corrosivity of atmospheric environments. It:
- defines corrosivity categories of the atmospheric environments taking into account ISO 9223;
- describes the determination of corrosivity based on assessment of mass loss of standard specimens after the first year of exposure;
- can be used to estimate the corrosivity of an environment based on knowledge of local conditions or of specific data that characterize the local conditions, where it is not possible to make an experimental determination.
It cannot be used to determine corrosivity categories from exposure periods of less than or greater than the first year.
The classification system contributes to:
- the knowledge and comparison of corrosivity of atmospheric environments at different locations;
- the choice of materials and corrosion protection measures.
This European Standard does not characterize the corrosivity of special service atmospheric environments, e.g. chemical and metallurgical plants and environments with extreme chloride deposition such as splash zones.