The estimation of corrosion current in field applications is mostly based on the Stern-Geary
relationship and direct measurement of the polarization resistance Rp mainly with the linear polarization
resistance technique but also with the electrochemical impedance technique. Technical advances in the
last years effectively made available very simple and practical devices for field corrosion engineers. In
spite of their convenience, the measurements reliability is based upon basic assumptions, such as the
system linearity for example, which are not a priori ensured and can be the source of measurement
errors. One of these drawbacks is related to the drift of the corrosion potential during the measurements.
The present paper investigates the influence of the non-stationarity of the system on Rp measurements.
Values of Rp measured with the electrochemical impedance and linear polarization resistance techniques
under potentiostatic or galvanostatic control were compared in the case of iron corrosion in stagnant and
circulating brine solutions.