Phenomenological modelling of stress corrosion cracking

The morphological model provides a method for a quantitative characterization of stress corrosion cracking without any mechanistic hypothesis. It consists in analyzing the morphological information (shape of the cracks and size distribution) present in a specimen after a constant extension rate test. It is shown that this experimental datum can be used for the calculation of initiation and propagation rates. An application of this morphological model is performed using the couple 304L austenitic stainless steel/boiling 44 weight percent MgCl2, aqueous solution. This study provides analytical expressions of the crack initiation and growth rates. The limitations of this modelling are presented and other studies are proposed. (author). 4 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab