Many laboratory studies have been conducted describing the synergistic effe
cts of corrosion and wear. it is a more challenging endeavor to validate th
e laboratory testing to real world service performance. This paper will att
empt to document the field experience of stainless steels versus carbon ste
els since work first published in 1984 and at the 1985 Wear of Materials Co
nference.
Measurement of the wear rates of large, industrial structures is difficult
at best. While two of the presented case studies rely more on anecdotal evi
dence than scientific data, the results are no less valid to the end user w
ho takes on the risk of switching to a less known entity. The fact that mat
erials were replaced with newer technology attests to the perceived validit
y of the studies. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.