The effect of shock loading on the corrosion property of low-carbon steel was investigated using different explosive loadings. All of the experimental results were obtained using flat and polished samples exposed to strong shock waves. The variation of the corrosion rate with increasing of explosive charge thickness is found to be significantly large. Some mechanical and physical properties experimentally obtained were used to understand the nature of this phenomenon. The electron microscopy technique also used to support the experimental results. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.