L51484 Test Method for Defining Susceptibility of Line Pipe Steels to Stress Corrosion Cracking

Previous studies have identified the optimum environmental conditions (temperature, electrochemical potential, and solution composition) for performing an evaluation for defining susceptibility of line-pipe steels to stress-corrosion cracking. These studies also have shown that dead-weight loaded tests, performed on tapered tensile test specimens, with an imposed cyclic load is a promising technique for evaluating stress-corrosion cracking susceptibility. However, the optimum stress ranges (AU), frequencies and test times had not been identified. The objective of the program was to develop an experimental procedure which will reliably assess the stress-corrosion cracking susceptibility of a given line pipe steel. Previous studies have identified the optimum environmental conditions (temperature, electrochemical potential, and solution composition) for performing such an evaluation. These studies also have shown that dead-weight loaded tests, performed on tapered tensile test specimens, with an imposed cyclic load is a promising technique for evaluating stress-corrosion cracking susceptibility. However, the optimum stress ranges (AU), frequencies and test times had not been identified. In the experimental program, the stress-corrosion cracking susceptibility of three line pipe steels was measured using the tapered tensile test technique over a range of frequencies, test times, and values.