Effect of cyclic loadings on the stress corrosion crack growth rate in Alloy 600 in PWR primary water

Fatigue air pre-cracked Compact Tensile (CT) specimens in Alloy 600 were tested in primary water (325 deg. C) of Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR). In order to assess the effect of cyclic loading on crack growth, CT specimens are tested under constant loadings and low frequencies cyclic loadings: triangular and saw-tooth. Two Alloy 600 materials, with different intrinsic susceptibility to Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC), are studied. Crack growth rates are monitored in-situ by the direct current potential drop method and are validated by postmortem observations. Fracture surfaces are characterized by macroscopic and microscopic observations. Comparison of the crack growth rate and of the fracture features demonstrated that they depend on the characteristics of the mechanical loading (constant, triangular or sawtooth) and on the material intrinsic sensibility to SCC. (authors)