Crack growth testing of cold worked stainless steel in a simulated PWR primary water environment to assess susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking

Abstract

Although austenitic stainless steels do not show a high degree of susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in PWR primary environments, there is limited evidence from laboratory testing that crack propagation may occur under some conditions for materials in a cold-worked condition. A test program is therefore underway to examine the factors influencing SCC propagation in good quality PWR primary coolant. Type 304 stainless steel was subjected to cold working by either rolling (at ambient or elevated temperature) or fatigue cycling, to produce a range of yield strengths. Compact tension specimens were fabricated from these materials and tested in simulated high temperature (250-300{sup o}C) PWR primary coolant. It was observed that the degree of crack propagation was influenced by the degree of cold work, the crack growth orientation relative to the rolling direction and the method of working. (author)