Corrosion fatigue crack growth behaviour of naval steels

Fatigue crack growth behaviour of two varieties of HSLA steels used in naval structural applications have been evaluated in air and 3.5% NaCl solution. In air both the HSLA steels showed similar resistance to fatigue crack growth. However, in 3.5% NaCl, the fatigue crack growth resistance of HSLA-80 steel was superior to that of HSLA-100. The apparent inferiority of HSLA-100 to corrosion fatigue crack growth resistance is attributed to rapid film formation and rupture, and occurrence of planar modes of failure. Effect of R-ratio on air fatigue and corrosion fatigue crack growth behaviour is rationalised by the concept of crack closure. Effect of cyclic frequency on corrosion fatigue behaviour is examined. It is noted that the mechanism of corrosion fatigue crack growth for the two HSLA steels changes with attendant change in the Paris slope. This leads to increase or decrease of crack growth rates, depending up on the ΔK range of interest.