Stress-Corrosion-Cracking Characterization of High-Strength Steels-Base Metals and Weldments.

This report describes the results of studies on the effects of compositional, metallurigical, and microstructural factors on the SCC behavior of high-strength steels and weldments. The primary materials were quench-and-tempered steels or weldments in the HY-130 and HY-180 systems with complex martensitic microstructures. The cantilever beam method was used to establish the materials' SCC characteristics. These characteristics, complemented by fractographic and metallorgraphic examinations, identified potential pathways for improving weldment properties. The influence of processing, welding, and heat treating on microstructures, and correlations of the latter with SCC behavior and fracture modes, were examined. (Author)