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Temperature dependence of fatigue crack growth rates of A 351 CF8A cast stainless steel in LWR environment

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6833435

The fatigue crack growth rates for A 351-CF8A cast stainless steel were determined over a range of temperatures from 95/sup 0/C to 338/sup 0/C (200/sup 0/F to 640/sup 0/F). The waveform was 17 mHz sinusoidal and the load ratio was 0.2. The environment was borated and lithiated water with a dissolved oxygen content of approx. 1 ppB. The results show an easily measurable (factors of 2 to 8) increase in crack growth rates due to the environment. However, these rates are well within the known band of results for low-alloy pressure vessel and low-carbon piping steels in LWR environments. An extensive fractographic investigation shows fatigue fracture surfaces covered with brittle-like features. This morphology is similar to that resulting from the environmental assistance mechanism producing increased crack growth rates due to stress-corrosion cracking.

Research Organization:
Materials Engineering Associates, Inc., Lanham, MD (USA)
OSTI ID:
6833435
Report Number(s):
NUREG/CR-3546; MEA-2030; ON: DE84901128
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English