Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of austenitic stainless steels in high temperature light water reactor (LWR) environments

Abstract: This chapter focuses on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of austenitic stainless steels in high temperature light water reactor (LWR) environments, and emphasizes common grades of wrought austenitic stainless steel over cast, ferritic or martensitic stainless steels. Corrosion fatigue and environmental effects on fracture are related forms of degradation, and are also addressed. This chapter provides insight into the SCC dependencies and the underlying processes and mechanisms. There are 20–30 key, interdependent variables, and this complexity makes a purely empirical approach intractable. Research has transformed this complexity to one in which the origin of the effects and their interaction is reasonably well understood and quantified.