A detailed mechanistic knowledge of environmentally controlled cracking in ductile alloy/aqueous environment systems offers an approach to quantitatively examine the fundamental validity of design and life-evaluation codes for stress-corrosion and corrosion-fatigue. Such an ability is illustrated for the specific cases of cracking of sensitized stainless steel piping and low alloy pressure vessel steels in aqueous environments peculiar to Light Water Reactors. It is demonstrated that the empirically-derived material and environmental modifications which reduce the intergranular stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of weld-sensitized 304 stainless steel in oxygenated water are, within subscribed limitations, fundamentally sound. It is also argued from first principles that the current ASME XI code for corrosion fatigue of low alloy steels in high temperature water is probably conservative for extended operation, with a degree of conservatism depending on specific material, environment and loading history conditions.

Subject
Environmental cracking, Sulfur, Strain rate, Water, Materials, Corrosion rate, Crack propagation, Corrosion cracking, Stress cracking, Steel, Stainless steel, Stress corrosion cracking, Oxidation
© 1986 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1986
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
You do not currently have access to this content.