STRESS-CORROSION CRACKING CRITERIA FOR HIGH-STRENGTH STEELS

A stress corrosion cracking study of two high strength steels has been performed with both smooth and precracked specimens. It has been shown that an evaluation of resistance to stress corrosion cracking based only on K-1SCC values may be deceptive under circumstances where it can be demonstrated that pre-existing cracks are not present, and crack initiation processes ought then to be taken into account. Threshold stresses obtained from tests on smooth specimens may be used as a measure of resistance to crack initiation, but these values should be used only in practical circumstances where it has been established that pre-existing cracklike defects are not present. (C) 1995 The Institute of Materials.