Sulfide stress cracking is becoming a more critical issue due to higher levels of H2S in new
reservoirs. Furthermore, more severe working conditions in terms of mechanical loads in H2S
reservoirs requires steels with higher sulfide stress cracking resistance than conventional
steels grades. For that reasons it is of fundamental importance to evaluate the methods used
to determine the fracture resistance in sour environment. In this work, finite element analysis
was used to model the hydrogen concentration in the loaded double cantilever beam sample
used in the NACE standard, method D. Experimental measurements were used to establish
hydrogen concentration in unstressed material. A fracture criterion for the embrittled material
was proposed and the parameters involved were adjusted for the different materials studied.
Finally, a steady state model of DCB specimens in sour environment was developed
combining the finite element analysis and the fracture criterion. The DCB model was used to
assess the effect of yield stress and hydrogen concentration on KISSC values.
Keywords: Sour environment, sulfide stress cracking, double cantilever beam, stress
intensity factor