| Abstract: | In recent years intergranular stress corrosion cracking has occurred worldwide in the shrink-fitted discs of low-pressure turbine rotors made of low-alloy steels. Both anodic stress corrosion cracking and hydrogen-induced crack formation have been mentioned in the literature as possible failure mechanisms. Clarification of the role of hydrogen induced cracking was sought by carrying out a variety of tests with the low-alloy steel 26 NiCrMoV 145. The results indicate that hydrogen plays a decisive role in the failure mechanism, provided it is available in sufficiently high quantities. |
