Fabrication of imitative stress corrosion cracking specimen using lithography and solid state bonding

Abstract

This study proposes a method to fabricate artificial flaws whose response to non-destructive testing, especially electromagnetic non-destructive testing, is the same as that of stress corrosion cracking. Stacked metallic films containing through-grooves are sandwiched between metallic blocks and then bonded using solid state bonding. The profiles of the through-grooves are accurately controlled with the aid of the lithography technique, which allows a three-dimensional discontinuity to be embedded inside a material. Since the spatial distribution of the discontinuity is small compared to the spatial resolution of non-destructive testing methods, the method allows the response of stress corrosion cracking to be simulated. Specimens are fabricated using type 316 L austenitic stainless steel, and validated using eddy current testing.