Course coordinator
Dr Jeffrey Venezuela
Please email Dr. Venezuela to arrange consultation.
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Mech & Mine Engineering School
Corrosion fundamentals, design against corrosion, corrosion protection principles and practice, corrosion in common environments, corrosion resistant alloys, corrosion mechanisms, environment assisted fracture and fatigue.
Materials degradation is a key industry issue that entails tremendous costs to society. The largest source of service degradation is the environment. This type of degradation is referred to as corrosion. An engineer must always take corrosion and materials degradation into account when designing and maintaining engineering systems. Understanding the principles of corrosionﾠand corrosion control is the core focus of this course.
This course builds on introductory chemistry and materials knowledge that students have developed during their undergraduate degrees. It systematically introduces fundamental corrosion concepts, including redox reaction, the galvanic series,ﾠthe Pourbaix diagram, and mixed potential theory; progresses to more advanced concepts, such asﾠcorrosion mechanisms, corrosion-resistant alloys, stress-corrosion interactions,ﾠand corrosion in different environments; and eventually covers corrosion protection principles and practice. ﾠThe importance of theseﾠtopics is highlighted through practical, real-world applications and problems.
Course requirements
Assumed background
You will be assumed to have an entry-level understanding of chemistry, mathematics, calculus and basic principles of engineering.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Qingbing Xia
Demonstrator
Mr Baibhav Karan
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
There will be no Tutorial session in the first week.
The University expects the average student to spend a minimum of 10 hours per week during the semester to pass a two-unit course. See the University's advice on time management here.
Aims and outcomes
The course provides the opportunity to become familiar with the principles and prevention of corrosion and environment-assisted fracture through a guided program of learning.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Apply the key thermodynamic and kinetic concepts - Use the Nernst equation and Pourbaix diagrams to predict conditions when metals can corrode thermodynamically.
LO2.
Apply the key thermodynamic and kinetic concepts - Understand and use the standard electromotive force potential to predict anode and cathode in coupled metals systems.
LO3.
Apply the key thermodynamic and kinetic concepts - Understand and explain activation polarisation and concentration polarisation.
LO4.
Apply the key thermodynamic and kinetic concepts - Describe and manipulate mixed potential theory for predicting corrosion current and corrosion potential.
LO5.
Apply the key thermodynamic and kinetic concepts - Understand the nature and limitations of passivity.
LO6.
Apply the key thermodynamic and kinetic concepts - Demonstrate a familiarity with the key testing methods for measuring corrosion.
LO7.
Understand processes: corrosion, stress, fracture - Identify and describe the major forms of corrosion, their cause and the means of mitigating their effect.
LO8.
Understand processes: corrosion, stress, fracture - Understand the interaction of corrosion and stress in causing failure of materials.
LO9.
Design protection systems - Use the key concepts of corrosion science to design protection systems for machinery, equipment and plant subject to corrosive environments.
LO10.
Develop, plan and present topics on corrosion - Develop and deliver a short presentation to your class on a key topic in corrosion.
LO11.
Develop, plan and present topics on corrosion - Generate and evaluate information on a corrosion topic and present it in written form.
LO12.
Develop, plan and present topics on corrosion - Critically evaluate data and presentations by colleagues.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz |
Quiz
|
7.5% |
Week 2 Wed - Week 12 Fri
The online quiz begins from Wednesday 12 pm and should be completed by Friday 4 pm of the relevant week. Due to circumstances relating to ex-TC Alfred, the deadline of the Week 2 and Week 3 quiz is moved to Wednesday 19 March at 4:00 PM. The deadline for remaining quizzes (starting in Week 4 to Week 12) will follow the normal schedule. |
| Presentation |
Presentation on a Key Aspect
|
15% |
Week 5 Mon - Week 12 Fri
Students are required to submit a copy of their presentation by 5 pm on Friday the week before they are scheduled to present. |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Corrosion assignment | 25% |
26/05/2025 4:00 pm |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
52.5% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
A minimum achievement of 40% in the final exam is required to achieve a passing grade for the course. |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Quiz
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 7.5%
- Due date
Week 2 Wed - Week 12 Fri
The online quiz begins from Wednesday 12 pm and should be completed by Friday 4 pm of the relevant week.
Due to circumstances relating to ex-TC Alfred, the deadline of the Week 2 and Week 3 quiz is moved to Wednesday 19 March at 4:00 PM. The deadline for remaining quizzes (starting in Week 4 to Week 12) will follow the normal schedule.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08
Task description
There will be weekly online quizzes (minimum of 3 questions) from week 2 to week 12. This will assess the content covered in that particular week.
The quiz must be completed within 25 minutes and in one sitting and should be submitted before 4 pm on the respective Friday of that week.
Quizzes will be a mix of multiple-choice questions, numerical problems, and short answer questions.
There will be a total of 11 quizzes. The marks for the 9 best quizzes will be averaged to give the overall mark for the quizzes. Please refer to Blackboard for a detailed marking criteria.
This assessment task is non-invigilated.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
To accommodate unforeseen circumstances such as illness, your workshop problems will be based on the best 9 out of 11 submitted.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
The online quiz is available for 48 hours only, and results are made available after the week.
Presentation on a Key Aspect
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 15%
- Due date
Week 5 Mon - Week 12 Fri
Students are required to submit a copy of their presentation by 5 pm on Friday the week before they are scheduled to present.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08, L10, L12
Task description
Students are required to give a presentation on key aspects of corrosion. Student presentations are an integral part of the course during weeks 5 to 12.
The aim of this presentation is for students to critically evaluate and present on a provided corrosion topic, as well as evaluate other class members' presentations. It also aims to enhance students' presentation and communication skills.
Each presentation should be 7-10 min in length, with an additional 5 minutes for answering questions. The text (Jones) should be considered only as a starting point. Other resources should also be consulted.
Students are required to upload their PowerPoint presentation on Blackboard one week (i.e. by 5 pm on Friday the week before they are scheduled to present) prior to their scheduled presentation. This will then be made available to the rest of the class. Everyone is expected to have read the text and have considered the uploaded presentations before the class. Each class member is also expected to participate actively by asking at least one pertinent question on the topic presented.
The course coordinator will award the mark for each student presentation following a standard rubric. Marks are earned for Technical content (30%) and Presentation (70%).
Please refer to Blackboard for a detailed marking criteria.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct”.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Deferred presentations are available in approved circumstances.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
The nature of a presentation does not allow for the application of a late penalty with a sliding scale as they are presented within the lecture timeslot from Weeks 5 - 12.
Each class member is also expected to participate actively by asking at least one pertinent question on the topic presented, which is only possible during the allocated time slot.
Corrosion assignment
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
26/05/2025 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08, L09, L11
Task description
A technical report that expounds on different corrosion cases is to be submitted for this assessment. The objective is for students to apply fundamental corrosion concepts obtained from the course and communicate these evaluations in written form. This is required to be submitted individually.
Specific instructions for the exercise are as follows:
- A set of scenarios/tasks pertaining to specific corrosion cases will be given to students.
- Provide a short, concise document of about 2-5 pages (12pt font, 1.5 line spacing, limit of 4000 words), including 2-5 relevant diagrams for each case.
- Provide an explanation that is easily understood in such a situation.
- Full technical details should be given in a manner easily understood by a non-technical customer.
Full assignment details will be released on Blackboard in Week 4. Submitting a report with a very low similarity score is essential.
Marks are earned for Technical content (70%) and Presentation (30%).
Machine Translation (MT) may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of MT in each instance. Use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in this task is prohibited.
A failure to reference MT use and / or the use of generative AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignment is to be in e-format via Turnitin on Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
To facilitate timely feedback to students.
A Student Access Plan (SAP) can only be used for a first extension. Extensions based on an SAP may be granted for up to seven (7) days, or the maximum number of days specified in the Electronic Course Profile (ECP), if it is less than seven (7) days. Any further extensions will require additional supporting documentation, such as a medical certificate.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Final Exam
- Hurdle
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 52.5%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
A minimum achievement of 40% in the final exam is required to achieve a passing grade for the course.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08, L09
Task description
Format: Short answer, Short essay, Problem solving
The final examination provides an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the course's learning objectives:
- In-depth understanding of the field of study
- Ability to apply knowledge (including critical judgment)
- Written communication in an easily understood manner.
The examination will cover the material covered in the course.
The exam will be a total of 100 points. Questions may touch on the following concepts:
- Design and application of corrosion knowledge in an engineering situation
- Explain key learning objectives (KLO) in corrosion
- Terminology: describe/discuss/define corrosion terms
For essay-type questions, students are required to provide cogently reasoned explanations.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
A minimum achievement of 40% in the final exam is required to achieve a passing grade for the course.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0.00 - 19.99 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Failure to demonstrate relevant knowledge or understanding of the underlying concepts. Most of the information provided is inaccurate and irrelevant. |
| 2 (Fail) | 20.00 - 44.99 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Failure to demonstrate relevant knowledge or understanding of the underlying concepts. Much of the information provided is inaccurate and irrelevant. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45.00 - 49.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Disorganised and unfocussed response which may include much inaccurate and irrelevant information. Demonstrates some relevant knowledge but only a limited understanding of underlying concepts. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50.00 - 64.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates a sound knowledge of the relevant information and at least a partial understanding of the underlying concepts. Some of the information may be inaccurate or irrelevant.ﾠ A minimum achievement of 40% in the final exam is required to achieve a passing grade for the course. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65.00 - 74.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates an understanding of the most important features, a sound understanding of the key concepts and an understanding of the main inter-relationships. There are no inaccuracies, including no minor inaccuracies. A minimum achievement of 40% in the final exam is required to achieve a passing grade for the course. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75.00 - 84.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates the ability to provide a clear, articulate, convincing, coherent overview using relevant detail to explain important aspects and relationships, using elegant English expression. A minimum achievement of 40% in the final exam is required to achieve a passing grade for the course. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85.00 - 100.00 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Demonstrates critical analysis, an ability to synthesise information from different aspects of the subject and/or integration & extension of knowledge. The answer generalises the coherent structure beyond the information provided. Demonstrates an inspired understanding... a creative spark, .. a new and more useful way of looking at the question, and impresses with their insights. A minimum achievement of 40% in the final exam is required to achieve a passing grade for the course. |
Additional course grading information
Each higher grade subsumes all the requirements of each lower grade. Each assessment item is graded according to the course grading scheme. The overall mark is calculated using the weightings given to each component in the Table in Assessment Summary.
A minimum achievement of 40% in the final exam is required to achieve a passing grade for the course.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Assessment items submitted using the Turnitin link on the course Blackboard site, will check your work for evidence of plagiarism, collusion, and other forms of academic misconduct.
A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Each student is expected to make use of the UQ Library, the internet, and other texts in terms of coming to mastery of the course content and for the Corrosion Assignment
Students are also expected to read and make use of the material located on Blackboard and introduced in the class:
- "Presentation_Rubrics_Breslow.doc.pdf": SCORING RUBRICS FOR PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS, Lori Breslow, Director, MIT Teaching & Learning Laboratory, Senior Lecturer, Sloan School of Management
- "Writing_Rubrics.doc.pdf": SCORING RUBRICS FOR PROFESSIONAL WRITING, Lori Breslow, Director, MIT Teaching & Learning Laboratory, Senior Lecturer, Sloan School of Management
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Not Timetabled |
Guided Learning Students work in their own time to go through the textbook. The respective chapters for reading each week will be found in Blackboard. To supplement learning, students will have the opportunity to ask questions regarding content on the discussion board on Blackboard, during lectures and tutorials, or by other means of communication with course staff if necessary (e.g. email). Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08, L09, L11 |
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 12 |
Lecture |
Lectures Weekly lectures are delivered on relevant corrosion topics. Recordings and notes will be made available throughout the semester. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions on the discussion board on Blackboard and by other means of communication with course staff if necessary (e.g. email). Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08 |
Multiple weeks From Week 2 To Week 12 |
Tutorial |
Tutorials Tutorials are conducted to assist students in the formulation of assignments and presentations and give them further opportunities to discuss course materials and quiz outcomes. Tutorial sessions will be held from Week 2 to Week 12. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08 |
Multiple weeks From Week 5 To Week 12 |
Workshop |
Student Presentations Students will give short presentations (7-10 min) on an assigned corrosion topic from Week 5-12. A 5-min Q&A session is reserved at the end of each presentation to give opportunities for students to ask questions. Recordings of the presentation will be made available to students. Learning outcomes: L06, L07, L08, L10, L12 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.