Resistance of High Strength Structural Steel to Environmental Stress Corrosion Cracking

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Abstract
High strength structural steel, ASTM A 514/517, Type J, was evaluated for susceptibility to environmental stress corrosion cracking. Precracked cantilever beam specimens, prepared from 1-in. plate and loaded up to 90 percent of the air determined critical stress intensity, withstood 1000 h exposure to 3.5 w/o NaCl without failure. At loads greater than 90 percent of the load required to cause failure in air, fracture occurs without evidence of stress corrosion cracking. Additional specimens prepared from butt-welded plate and subjected to sustained loads beyond yielding in 4 point bending were alternately immersed in 3.5 w/o NaCl solution and dried in air for 10 000 h without cracking. These results indicate virtual immunity to environmental stress corrosion cracking for both base plate and weldments of this quenched and tempered steel.