Which soil property is most associated with corrosion potential?

• A. Electrical resistivity
• B. pH
• C. Permeability
• D. Grain size distribution

Answer: (A)

Corrosion potential in buried metals is driven by how easily ions and electrons can move through the surrounding soil. The key property that governs this is soil electrical resistivity. When resistivity is low, the soil conducts ions well, allowing electrochemical reactions at the metal surface to proceed more readily and increasing corrosion potential. When resistivity is high, current flow is hindered, and corrosion risk drops. Other factors like pH, moisture, and permeability influence the corrosion environment, but they don’t directly set the baseline for how strongly corrosion can occur as resistivity does. That’s why electrical resistivity is the most associated soil property with corrosion potential.