The Slow Strain Rate Stress Corrosion Cracking Test—A 50 Year Retrospective

The history of dynamic straining in stress corrosion cracking studies and the evolution of the slow strain rate test (SSRT) are reviewed. Smooth and notched specimens; the importance of strain rate, electrode potential, and other environmental factors; the evaluation of test results; and comparisons to other techniques are addressed. The SSRT’s application in research for oil and gas sour service, buried natural gas pipelines, ethanol transportation, nuclear power, low pressure turbines, and mechanism studies is summarized and its usage by material, industry, and geographic region quantified. Standard test procedures are compared and improvements suggested. The more recent use of cyclic loading is discussed and areas for future study proposed.