Fatigue crack growth rate properties of SA508 and SA533 pressure vessel steels and submerged arc weldments in room and elevated temperature air environments

Abstract

The stage II fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) properties of four pressure vessel steels (SA508 Cl 2a, SA533 Gr A Cl 2, SA508 Cl 3a and SA533 Gr B Cl 2) and two automatic submerged arc weldments (SA508 Cl 2a and SA533 Gr A Cl 2) were developed in an air environment at 24 and 288°C (75 and 550°F). Tests were conducted at load ratios of 0.20 and 0.70. The air environment FCGR properties of these four base materials and two weldments proved independent of both load ratio and temperature and conformed to the ASME Section XI air environment reference curve. Furthermore, the base and weld metal air environment FCGR properties of these six pressure vessel steels were essentially identical.