Papers by Author: Hao Guo

Abstract: Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behaviors of pipeline steel X70 in various near-neutral pH soil environments with characteristics of eastern China have been studied through electrochemical measurements and slow strain rate tests (SSRT) at various electrode potentials in four solutions containing different typical soils in eastern China as well as in NS-4 solution. The SCC susceptibility in the four soil solutions was generally higher than that in NS-4 solution. There was a general trend that SCC susceptibility increased with decreasing the potential, suggesting that hydrogen induced cracking probably plays a key role in the cracking at least at low potentials and the parameters of cathodic protection in engineering should be carefully optimized to avoid SCC.

Abstract: Crack propagation of X-70 pipeline steel in near-neutral pH solution was studied under different modes of cyclic loading. A revised equation of crack growth rate vs. Δ K was obtained. Average crack growth rate increased with cycles under conditions of different R values. Linear shape notch specimen made cracks much easier to initiate and propagate than V-shaped notch specimen did. For different R values, the curves of crack growth rate with cycles were similar, but the platform propagation period and quick propagation period were different obviously. Crack growth rate at both periods increased and thus failure time decreased markedly with decrease of R value. The propagation directions of cracks were different under different cyclic loading conditions. Under mode I (single tensile stress) cyclic loading, cracks were straight and perpendicular to the tensile stress axis, while under mixed-mode I/III (tensile/shear stress) cyclic loading, cracks were sinuous and did not propagate in the direction perpendicular to the main tensile stress axis.

Abstract: Effects of some environmental factors on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of pipeline steel X-70 both in near-neutral pH environments, including NS4 solution and several solutions containing main types of soil in the eastern part of China, and in high pH solution were studied by means of electrochemical measurement and slow strain rate testing (SSRT). The anodic polarization curves showed different features in near-neutral pH and high pH solutions in terms of active-passive transition behavior. In near-neutral pH solutions, the cracking mode was transgranular with the feature of quasi-cleavage, the susceptibility to SCC increased with decreasing potential, pH and temperature as well as increasing CO2, indicating a dominant mechanism of hydrogen induced cracking (HIC). In high pH solutions, the cracking behavior was similar to that in near-neutral pH solutions when the specimens were polarized at cathodic potentials, but quite different at anodic potentials. A comparison of the electrochemical behavior with the SCC potential region indicated a dominant SCC mechanism associated with anodic dissolution (AD) of X70 in high pH solution at anodic potentials. A preliminary experimental potential (E)-pH-SCC diagram has been established for X70 in near-neutral pH environments.