A discrete simulation method for H-dislocation interactions was applied to a study of stress corrosion cracking. It was found that solute H promoted the formation of dense dislocation pile-ups, and a zig-zag type of fracture along alternating slip planes at the stress corrosion crack-tip. An analytical expression for the stress field of a dilatation line in the vicinity of a crack was derived; from which all of the H¯crack/dislocation elastic interactions terms were deduced. Diffusing H also had a marked pinning effect upon dislocation sources at a crack tip. This effect exhibited a strong dependence upon the crystal orientation.

Numerical Simulations of Hydrogen-Dislocation Interactions in FCC Stainless Steels- II. Hydrogen Effects on Crack Tip Plasticity at a Stress Corrosion Crack. J.P.Chateau, D.Delafosse, T.Magnin: Acta Materialia, 2002, 50[6], 1523-38