- Reduction of metal thickness leading to loss of mechanical strength and structural failure or breakdown. When the metal is lost in localised zones so as to give a cracklike structure, very considerable weakening may result from quite a small amount of metal loss.
- Hazards or injuries to people arising from structural failure or breakdown (e.g. bridges, cars, aircraft).
- Loss of time in availability of profile-making industrial equipment.
- Reduced value of goods due to deterioration of appearance.
- Contamination of fluids in vessels and pipes (e.g. beer goes cloudy when small quantities of heavy metals are released by corrosion).
- Perforation of vessels and pipes allowing escape of their contents and possible harm to the surroundings. For example a leaky domestic radiator can cause expensive damage to carpets and decorations, while corrosive sea water may enter the boilers of a power station if the condenser tubes perforate.
- Loss of technically important surface properties of a metallic component. These could include frictional and bearing properties, ease of fluid flow over a pipe surface, electrical conductivity of contacts, surface reflectivity or heat transfer across a surface.
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