Abstract
This paper considers to what extent the concepts used in linear elastic fracture mechanics can be applied to certain cases of stress corrosion of metals, in particular the concept of cracking opening displacement. It is suggested that in some cases the concept of ‘surface energy’ in a Griffith type treatment, and ‘plastic work of fracture’ in a Griffith–Orowan–Irwin type treatment can be usefully supplemented by the concept of ‘chemical work offracture’ in stress corrosion. For the case where crack growth is purely by localised anodic dissolution, an expression has been derived which relates the rate of crack growth to the overpotential of the corrosion cell and the rate of crack opening displacement.
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