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ML00074 - Jun.2018

Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt

Aspect of the broken bolt 1 1/2" nominal diameter, after a short time in service (non residente subsea equipment) under cathodic protection. The bolt broke at the thread fillet, close to the head.

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Aspect of the broken 1 1/2" , after a short time in service (non residente equipment) under . The broke at the thread fillet, close to the head.
M

Material

Precipitation Hardened Stainless Steel
  • UNS S17400
Ds

Description

that were in service in non-resident equipment in conditions were inspected and presented transverse to the axis and longitudinal internal . The high strength bolting material failed by , assisted by the generated in . It is not recommended to adopt bolting materials of a high strength level in submarine environment due to its high susceptibility for .

C

Chemistry (% in weight)

Bolt Analysis

0.03C; 0.35Si; 0.63Mn; 0.023P; 0.026S; 15.8Cr; 5.0Ni; 0.32Nb; 3.0Cu.

Associated Images
Aspect of the broken bolt 1 1/2" nominal diameter, after a short time in service (non residente subsea equipment) under cathodic protection. The bolt broke at the thread fillet, close to the head.
800
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - General View
Fracture view presenting two diferente aspects, brittle in the bottom of the figure and in the center (most part of the fracture) and ductile in the top of the figure. Nominal diameter of the bolt 1 1/2".
203
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Fracture Surface AspectDf - General View
Macrography of a longitudinal section of the broken bolt, at the fracture position, showing that the fracture is partially flat (left side), where the macroscopically aspect is brittle, and a final ductile fracture (right side). Interesting to note that there is a large longitudinal crack, secondary (transverse to the fracture surface).
143
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Kalling Etched MacroDf - Longitudinal Section
Fractographic aspect of the broken fastener, at the surface, showing na intergranular morphology typical of a hydrogen assisted mechanism of a high strenght steel under cathodic protection.
224
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Intergranular Cracking
Detail of the brittle part of the bolt fracture, presenting a secondary cracking longitudinal to the bolt axis. The region of the bolt at the bottom of the thread (close to the surface) is brighter than the internal part of the bolt suggesting different fracture mechanisms.
111
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Fracture Surface AspectDf - Fracture
Microscopic aspect of the fracture, close to the bolt surface where the fracture is macroscopically brittle, presenting a predominantly intergranular fracture micromechanism.
108
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Brittle Fracture
Microscopic aspect of the fracture, in the center of the bolt, presenting partial intergranular fracture micromechanism and partial quase cleavage mechanism.
98
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Brittle Fracture
Microscopic aspect of the fracture, close to the bolt surface where the fracture is macroscopically ductile (probably the final fracture), presenting dimples as the fracture micromechanism.
89
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Ductile Fracture
Micrographic aspect of the aged martensite structure of the 17-4 PH bolt, about 37 HRc.
94
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Kalling Etched Micrography by OMDf - Martensite
Micrographic detail of the aged martensite structure of the 17-4 PH bolt, about 37 HRc.
73
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Kalling Etched Micrography by OMDf - Martensite
Micrography of the longitudinal section of the bolt, at the bottom of the thread fillet, showing that the fracture is intergranular in this position.
71
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Kalling Etched Micrography by OMDf - Longitudinal Section
Micrographic detail of intergranular cracks close to the fracture of the bolt, near the bolt surface where the macroscopi aspect was brittle.
82
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Kalling Etched Micrography by OMDf - Intergranular Cracking
The micrography, in the "as polished" condition, of the longitudinal section of the bolt showing that there are non-continuous longitudinal cracks, intergranular, associated to regions of impurities, probably segregation bands, as evidenced by the grey elongated sulfide inclusions.
76
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Micrography by OMDf - Intergranular Cracking
Micrographic detail of the longitudinal cracks in the middle of the bolt, that generaate the secondary cracks that appear at the fracture surface.
79
VIEW
ML00074 / Jun.2018
Hydrogen Cracking of a 17-4 PH Subsea Bolt
M - Precipitation Hardened Stainless SteelP - FastenerAp - SubseaCd - Hydrogen Embrittlement
Cm - Kalling Etched Micrography by OMDf - Intergranular Cracking