Stress Corrosion Crack Growth Rates of Brass and Austenitic Stainless Steel at Low Stress Intensity Factors

Crack growth rates have been measured in alpha brass and in Type 304 austenitic stainless steel, each immersed in one of its characteristically stress corrosion generating environments. In each case, both stage I and stage II growth rate dependence on K is demonstrated. In all cases, the slope of stage I cracking is finite, from which it is to be concluded that the term K_ISCC should only be applied as a condition for an acceptable rate of crack growth.