The problem of dealing effectively with environment-sensitive fracture in design and subsequently in service are discussed. Crack initiation or crack propagation may control the ultimate life of a component subject to corrosion fatigue or stresscorrosion cracking. Therefore, the morphology of fabrication defects which can act as initiation sites is an important consideration. The thresholds or limits to crack growth and subsequent rates of crack growth can often be defined, and are discussed. Fracture-mechanics approaches are described and limitations discussed. Two specific examples, offshore structures and nuclear pressure vessels, are used as illustrations.
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