Stress corrosion cracking metallurgical factors

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 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). 

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. 

---