The nature of stress-corrosion crack initiation with martensitic stainless steels

Abstract

The progression of cracking with time of high-strength (>70 tons/in.²) 13%-chromium stainless steels in various conditions of heat treatment when exposed to the simultaneous actions of stress and corrosive environment has been examined. It has been shown that cracking is initiated at a late stage of exposure (∼80–90% total time to failure) irrespective of total time to failure. A mechanism for crack initiation and propagation is suggested.