Abstract
This paper presents the failure analysis of AISI-304 stainless steel tank that was fabricated by welding and used for the storage of styrene monomers. After about 13 years of satisfactory operation, significant cracking was observed adjacent to the weld joints and in base plate near tank foundation. Weld repair was by shielded gas arc welding using AISI 308 stainless steel filler wire. The failed base plate was replaced with the new AISI 304 base plate of same thickness. After a short period of time, seepage was observed along the weld bead. Upon nondestructive testing cracks were found in the heat-affected zone and in the base plate. The failure investigation was carried out on welded and base plate samples using spectroscopy, optical and scanning electron microscopy, fractography, SEM–EDS analysis, microhardness measurements, tensile and impact testing. The results revealed transgranular cracks in the HAZ and base plate, and the failure was attributed due to stress corrosion cracking. Cracks initiated as a result of combined action of stresses developed during welding and the presence of a chloride containing environment due to seawater. It was further observed that improper welding parameters were employed for weld repair which resulted in sensitization of the structure and postweld heat treatment to remove weld sensitization and minimize the residual stresses was not done.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Washko, S.D., Aggen, G.: Wrought stainless steels. In: ASM Handbook, vol. 1, 10th edn. ASM International, Metals Park, OH (1993)
Zeman, A., Novotny, R., Uca, O., Krsjak, V., Macak, J., Debarberis, L.: Behavior of cold-worked AISI-304 steel in stress-corrosion cracking process: microstructural aspects. Appl. Surf. Sci. 255, 160–163 (2008)
Garcia, C., Tiedra, M.P., de Blanco, Y., Martin, O., Martin, F.: Intergranular corrosion of welded joints of austenitic stainless steels studied by using an electrochemical minicell. Corros. Sci. 50, 1184–1194 (2008)
Lobley, G.R.: Stress corrosion cracking case studies: in refinery equipment. In: Proc. 6th Saudi Engineering Conference KFUPM, Dhahran, vol. 5, pp. 17–26 (2002)
Andresson, P.L., Morra, M.M.: SCC of stainless steels and Ni alloys in high-temperature water. J. Sci. Eng. Corros. 64(1), 15 (2008)
Tuthill, A.H.: Corrosion testing of austenitic stainless steel weldments. Weld. J. 5, 36–40 (2005)
White, W.E.: Observations of the influence of microstructure on corrosion of welded conventional and stainless steels. Mater. Charact. 28, 349–358 (1992)
Lima-Neto, P., de Farias, J.P., Flavio, L., Herculano, G., Miranda, H.C., Araújo, W.S., Jorcin, J., Pébère, N.: Determination of the sensitized zone extension in welded AISI 304 stainless steel using non-destructive electrochemical techniques. Mater. Des. 50, 1149–1155 (2008)
Colin, G.R., Peter, L.R.: Environmentally assisted product failure-synopsis and case study compendium. Eng. Fail. Anal. 15, 505–520 (2008)
Kadry, S.: Corrosion analysis of stainless steel. Eur. J. Sci. Res. 22(4), 508–516 (2008)
Charles, E.A., Parkins, R.N.: Generation of stress corrosion cracking environments at pipeline surfaces. Corrosion 51(7), 518–527 (1995)
Parkins, R.N., Blanchard, W.K., Delanty, B.S.: Transgranular stress corrosion cracking of high-pressure pipelines in contact with solutions of near-neutral-pH. Corrosion 50(5), 394–408 (1994)
Karzov, G.P., Gorbakon, A.A., Timofeev, B.T., Petrov, V.A.: Serviceability of austenitic pipelines in reactors under conditions of corrosion cracking. Mater. Sci. 36(5), 648–652 (2000)
Hornbach, D.H., Prevey, P.S.: Tensile residual stress fields produced in austenitic alloy weldments. In: Proc. Energy Week Conference, Book IV, Houston, TX, ASME International, pp. 28–30 (1997)
Prevey, P.S.: Effect of prior machining deformation on the development of tensile residual stresses in weld fabricated nuclear components. J. Mater. Eng. Perform. 5(1), 51–56 (1996)
Sharma, V.M.J., Abhay, J.K., Narayanan, R.P., Arumugham, S.: Failure investigation of a nitrogen oxide storage tank. Pract. Metallogr. 36(2), 98–106 (1999)
Jayakumar, T.: Failure of AM350 stainless steel bellows. In: Esaklw, K.A. (ed.) Hand Book of Case Histories in Failure Analysis, vol. 2. pp. 119–121. ASM International, OH (1999)
Davis, J.R.: Metallurgy and properties of wrought stainless steel. In: ASM Specialty Hand book of Stainless Steels, ASM International (1996)
Saad Abou-elazm, A., EI Mahallawi, I., Abdel-karim, R., Rashad, R.: Failure investigation of secondary super-heater tubes in a power boiler. Eng. Fail. Anal. 16, 433–448 (2009)
Kokawa, H.: Weld decay-resistant austenitic stainless steel by grain boundary engineering. J. Mater. Sci. 40, 927–932 (2005)
Deleume, J., Poquillon, D., Garat, V., Cloue, J.M., Andrieu, E.: Mechanical behaviour of SSRT specimens optimized for IGSCC concerns. Corros. Sci. 50(3), 737 (2008)
Parrington, R.J.: Failure of stainless steel holding tank. Adv. Mater. Proc. 157, 97–99 (2000)
Fuller, R.W., Jr. Ehrgott, J.Q., Heard, W.F., Robert, S.D., Stinson, R.D.: Failure analysis of AISI 304 stainless steel shaft. Eng. Fail. Anal. 15, 835–846 (2008)
Butt, M.A., Virk, M.A., Chughtai, A., Khan, I.H., Ahmad, M.: T-Type Naphtha pump strainer mesh Failure Analysis. Proc. Pakistan Acad. Sci. 44(4), 295–303 (2007)
Philippe, M.: Corrosion mechanism in theory and practice. In: Newman, R.C. (ed.) Stress Corrosion Mechanisms, pp. 402–406. Marcel Dekker, New York (2000)
Khatak, H.S., Raj, B.: Corrosion of austenitic stainless steels; mechanism, mitigation and monitoring. In: Parvathavarthini, N. (ed.) Sensitization and testing of intergranular corrosion. Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi, pp. 123–130 (2002)
Saito, T., Masaki, H., Mukhlis, F.A., Tsuchiya, H., Fujimoto, S.: Crystallographic characterization of stress corrosion cracking initiation on type 316L stainless steel in high temperature and high pressure water. J. Phys. Confer. Ser. 165 (2009). doi:10.1088/1742-6596/165/1/012009
Acknowledgments
This failure analysis was carried out in the Department of Materials Engineering with the permission of NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi. The authors thank Mr. Abdul Salam for optical microscopy, and Ms. Maheen and Mr. Syed Almas for SEM–EDS work. The authors also thank Mr. Ghufran Ahmed Khan and Mr. Muhammad Shahzad Raza Ali for their technical assistance and valuable suggestions throughout this work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Asghar, M.S.A., Tariq, F. & Ali, A. Failure Analysis of AISI-304 Stainless Steel Styrene Storage Tank. J Fail. Anal. and Preven. 10, 303–311 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-010-9352-9
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-010-9352-9