The history of dynamic straining in stress corrosion cracking studies and the evolution of the slow strain rate test (SSRT) are reviewed. Smooth and notched specimens; the importance of strain rate, electrode potential, and other environmental factors; the evaluation of test results; and comparisons to other techniques are addressed. The SSRT’s application in research for oil and gas sour service, buried natural gas pipelines, ethanol transportation, nuclear power, low pressure turbines, and mechanism studies is summarized and its usage by material, industry, and geographic region quantified. Standard test procedures are compared and improvements suggested. The more recent use of cyclic loading is discussed and areas for future study proposed.

The Slow Strain Rate Stress Corrosion Cracking Test—A 50 Year Retrospective

In the hope that some of the pitfalls may in future be avoided, the paper discusses problems associated with the various methods of stress corrosion testing, without providing a catalogue of test methods. Thus, the use of time to failure as a parameter that measures susceptibility may lead to erroneous conclusions, whilst designers may be misled if they are not aware that KISCC values, as sometimes determined from pre-cracked specimen tests, are not as reproducible as those design parameters, such as yield stress or ultimate tensile stress, with which they are more familiar. The effects of specimen surface area, and its relation to solution volume, as well as surface finish, are among other quantities that may cause discrepancies between results from different laboratories. Similarly, in relation to environmental aspects of testing, the dangers in the use of ‘standard’ solutions are indicated and the necessity, in simulating service failures, of precisely reproducing the composition of the enviro...

Stress Corrosion Test Methods

Friction stir welding: An alternative to fusion welding for better stress corrosion cracking resistance of maraging steel

Microstructural influences on fatigue and fracture resistance in high strength structural materials

This chapter reviews experimental studies of the hydrogen embrittlement of high strength steels. The focus has been on six types of steel, having distinctly different microstructures. The six steel types are the low alloy steels, high toughness secondary hardening steels such as AF1410, hot work die steels, martensitic secondary hardening stainless steels, maraging steels and precipitation strengthened martensitic stainless steels. The susceptibilities of these classes of steel to hydrogen embrittlement as measured by the effects of hydrogen on fracture initiation and subsequent crack growth are discussed when the steels are tested in hydrogen gas, when the hydrogen has been introduced by charging and when the hydrogen embrittlement is associated with stress corrosion cracking in distilled water or salt water.

Hydrogen embrittlement of high strength steels

The susceptibility of 18% Ni (250) maraging steel to stress corrosion cracking in 3.5% NaCl solution has been investigated. Metallographic and fractographic examinations show distinct diff...

B. C. Syrett

Papers

Stress Corrosion Cracking in 18% Ni (250) Maraging Steel