Hydrogen stress cracking, definition

In accordance with these definitions, stress-corrosion cracking has been a familiar problem in the petroleum and chemical industries for decades. Consequently, measures seem to be rather well established and generally known for preventing stress-corrosion cracking or for keeping it in check. Where conditions are such that this type of hydrogen attack can be expected, appropriate supplemental requirements should be included in the specification. A vessel built only to code requirements could be rendered unserviceable in a matter of hours by stress-corrosion cracking. 

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