Stress corrosion cracking environmental factors

General description. In incomplete fusion, complete melting and fusion between the base metal and the weld metal or between individual weld beads does not occur (Fig. 15.8). Incomplete fusion that produces crevices or notches at surfaces can combine with environmental factors to induce corrosion fatigue (Chap. 10), stress-corrosion cracking (Chap. 9), or crevice corrosion (Chap. 2). See Fig. 15.9. 

Additionally, specific environmental conditions can induce localized corrosion such as temperature, conductivity of the corrosive fluid, or thickness of the liquid corrosive film in contact with the metal. In some cases, both metallurgical and geometric factors will influence behavior, such as in stress-corrosion cracking. Preferential weldment corrosion of carbon steels has been investigated since the 1950s, commencing with the problems on icebreakers, but the problem continues today in different applications. (Bond)5... 

K/-V relations observed in this study are shown in Figure 3, where results obtained under two different water vapor pressures were shown. It can be seen that the reproducibility of testing results of Kumamoto andesite under the same environmental condition is very high from this figure. In addition, it can be seen that the crack growth behaviors are facilitated under high water vapor pressure. This is in harmony with the theory of stress corrosion cracking in rocks. The obtained results are summarized in Table 1, where K/ means K, at V = 10 [m/s], and v means v at Ki = 1.6 [MN/m ]. Ki and v were determined in order to compare the stress intensity factor... 

K scc depends on metallurgical factors (it usually decreases as the strength of the steel increases, even though it also depends on the microstructure of the material, e. g. it is lower in quenched and tempered steel than in cold-worked steels) and on environmental factors (for instance, in alkaline environments and in the absence of chlorides, Kfscc so high that normal mechanical failure takes place before stress corrosion cracks can develop). 

Environmental stress cracking is similar, but not identical to, stress corrosion cracking of metals. Corrosion involves chemical reactions that produce corrosion products, whereas, in ESC, a liquid is absorbed by the polymer, promoting crazing and crack formation. Corrosion reactions are rare in polymers. ESC can typically cause a factor-of-ten reduction in strength. The two conditions for it to occur are that... 

WUde, B. F. (1981) Stress corrosion cracking of ASIM A517 steel in liquid ammonia Environmental factors. Corrosion, 37, No. 3. 

Stress-corrosion cracking is caused by the interaction of metallurgical, mechanical, and environmental factors, with the result that there is a multiplicity of possible S.C.C. control measures that can be implemented. In addition, the complexity of S.C.C. has led to a very large number of hypotheses, models, theories, and controversies on the mechanisms by which S.C.C. occurs. These matters will be summarized in this section. 

Uniform surface corrosion, i.e. corrosion at a nearly uniform corrosion rate over the entire surface, is usually less problematic from an operational point of view. This factor can be taken into account in the structural element design in the form of an anticorrosive additive and can be controlled in many structural elements by means of regular wall thickness measurements, e.g. by ultrasonic means. Much more difficult problems result from local corrosion types such as pitting corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC). The corrosion types are difficult to control and can rapidly lead to failure of structural elements after only a low level of mass loss. Damage from such corrosion types are rarely predictable and not only cause considerable losses in economic terms but also entail risks to safety and environmental protection. This applies in particular to system elements that must function under pressure. 

Environmental AND Materials Factors in Stress Corrosion Cracking... 

It is often difficult to conduct laboratory tests in which both the environmental and stressing conditions approximate to those encountered in service. This applies particularly to the corrosive conditions, since it is necessary to find a means of applying cyclic stresses that will also permit maintenance around the stressed areas of a corrosive environment in which the factors that influence the initiation and growth of corrosion fatigue cracks may be controlled. Among these factors are electrolyte species and concentration, temperature, pressure, pH, flow rate, dissolved oxygen content and potential (free corrosion potential or applied). 

The environment also plays a role in some environments brittle crack failure is strongly promoted. For example, detergents such as synthetic soaps can decrease the time to brittle failure of PE by a factor between 10 and 50 (see Figure 7.21). This phenomenon is known as stress corrosion or environmental stress cracking (ESC) (see further 8.5). 

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