Effect of high energy shot peening pressure on the stress corrosion cracking of the weld joint of 304 austenitic stainless steel

The weld joint of 304 stainless steel is treated using high energy shot peening(HESP) with various shot peening pressures. The grain size and metallographic microstructure of the specimen surface layer are analyzed using the X-ray diffraction method, and the surface hardness is measured. Slow strain rate tension tests are then performed to investigate the effect of shot peening pressure on the stress corrosion sensitivity. The results show that in the surface layer of the specimen, the grain refinement, hardness and the strain-induced plastic deformation all increase with the increasing shot peening pressure. Martensitic transformation is observed in the surface layer after being treated with HESP. The martensite phase ratio is found to increase with increasing shot peening pressure. The result also shows that the effects of the shot peening treatment on the stress corrosion sensitivity index depend on the shot peening pressure. When the shot peening pressure is less than 0.4 MPa, the grain refinement effect plays the main role, and the stress corrosion sensitivity index decreases with the increasing shot peening pressure. In contrast, when the shot peening pressure is higher than 0.4 MPa, the martensite transformation effect plays the main role, the stress corrosion sensitivity index increases with increasing shot peening pressure.