Study on Characteristics of Corrosion Fatigue Crack Growh Rate of SUS 304 Stainlss Steel

SUS 304강의 부식피로균열 운전속도 특성에 관한 연구

Corrosion fatigue cracking of the austenitic stainless steel(bese metal & heat affected zone by TIG weld) was studied experimentally under the environments of various specific resistance and air. The characteristics of corrosion fatigue crack growth rate and the environmental constants of paris' rule were investigated for SUS 304 weldments in the various specific resistance. The influences of stress intensity factor range and corrosion on the crack growth rate were compared. The characteristics of corrosion fatigue cracking for the weldments were inspected from mechanical, electrochemical and microstructural point of view. Main results obtained are as follows: 1) As the specific resistance decreases, the environmental constant C of paris'rule increases(hence the corrosion fatigue crack growth rate is rapid), but the environmental constant m decreases, so the effect of corrosion to the crack growth rate is more susceptible than thet of stress intensity factor range. 2) As the stress intensity factor range decreases, the corrosion fatigue crack growth rate of heat affected zone is more susceptible than that of the base metal. 3) The corrosion fatigue crack growth rate of the heat affected zone is more rapid than that of the base metal, because of the phenomenon of softening and the less noble potential coused by wedlding heat cycle. 4) The corrosion fatigue cracking of SUS 304 weldment appears transgranular fracture.