AbstractsEngineering

Stress corrosion cracking in its simplest terms is metal failure resulting, over a period of time from the conjoint action of stress and corrosion. In reality, the problem is more involved than this definition might suggest for the reason that the two operating factors, namely, stress and corrosion do not act in a simple additive way. Stress corrosion cracking is not a mere case of metal corrosion in the presence of stress. Although it is true that corrosive attack is part of the mechanism, the extent or severity of corrosion is not a guiding criterion for susceptibility to cracking. Many mildly corrosive environments have been recognised as strongly potent in causing this type of failure. A classical example was noted (1,2) in an experimental alloy which was stressed and immersed in a mineral oil-Nujol-and which failed in 735 days.