Analysis of the Impact of Corrosion and Safety Protection Solutions for Copper Relief Panels in Vietnam

Abstract

This paper investigates the long-term mechanical degradation of copper relief sculptures anchored to reinforced concrete walls using stainless-steel pins, a configuration widely used in Vietnam for outdoor architectural artworks. Special emphasis is placed on the influence of corrosion and the protective effectiveness of praseodymium chloride (PrCl₃). Electrochemical data employed for corrosion-rate modeling were obtained from the authors’ previous publication, in which PrCl₃ was shown to significantly reduce the corrosion rate of copper in a 0.6M NaCl solution. These corrosion rates were incorporated into a three-dimensional finite element model to simulate stress evolution, crack initiation, and fatigue life reduction over a 50-year service period. The results reveal that, in the absence of PrCl₃, cross-sectional loss
combined with stress concentration at the pin–panel interface accelerates crack propagation and leads to severe structural deterioration of the copper relief sculpture. In contrast, the presence of PrCl₃ significantly delays section loss, reduces stress levels, suppresses crack growth, and markedly extends the predicted service life. Parametric studies also show that increasing the number or diameter of stainless-steel pins enhances load distribution efficiency and improves the structural safety of the system. These findings highlight the importance of integrating chemical corrosion protection with optimized structural design to ensure the long-term preservation of outdoor copper relief sculptures in aggressive environments.