Analytical electron microscopy techniques were used to provide insight to the faster than expected crack growth rates of L-grade stainless steels in boiling water nuclear reactor (BWR) environments. An electron back scattered pattern technique (EBSP) identified significant strains in the weld HAZs of BWR components. Strain characterization of various BWR core shroud weld HAZs reveals up to 10% strain nearest the weld fusion line, decreasing with distance from the fusion line. These residual strains are attributed to the shrinkage that occurs during weld fabrication and are believed to act synergistically with high corrosion potentials to accelerate IGSCC in unsensitized stainless steels. The influence of
grain boundary Cr depletion produced by thermal non-equilbrium segregation on the IGSCC behavior requires further study.
Keywords: weld HAZs, residual strain, L-grade stainless steels, IGSCC