Crack growth behavior of AISI-4340 steel during environmental exposure

AISI-4340 is observed to undergo stress corrosion cracking when subjected to a constant load during exposure to a 3.5% NaCl solution. Crack initiation, nucleation, and growth has been monitored as a function of time. Stepped regions consisting of fast and slow crack growth periods are shown to correspond to microstructural changes observed in the fracture surface of the steel. These regions of fast and slow crack rate variations with time show that the crack growth rates do not increase continuously with an increase in the stress intensity.