Effects of testing variables on stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of Al 2024-T351

► Effects of testing variables on SCC susceptibility of Al 2024-T351 in 3.5% NaCl solution were examined. ► Slow strain rate test (SSRT) method and a constant load test (CLT) method were utilised. ► Percent reductions in tensile elongation increased with decreasing strain rate. ► Anodic dissolution and hydrogen embrittlement played a role in the SCC process. ► CLT showed the similar SCC susceptibility obtained by SSRT. In the present study, the effects of testing variables on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) susceptibility of Al 2024-T351 in 3.5% NaCl solution were examined using slow strain rate test (SSRT) method with controlled applied potentials and a constant load test (CLT) method. The SSRTs were conducted at various strain rates and applied potential, while the CLTs were performed with different exposure time, with different grain directions of ST (short-transverse) and L (longitudinal) to understand how the testing parameters affected on the SCC susceptibility of Al 2024-T351. The percent reductions in tensile elongation in an SCC-causing environment over those in air tended to express the SCC susceptibility of Al 2024-T351 most properly for both SSRT and CLT. The present fractographic examination suggested that both anodic dissolution and hydrogen embrittlement played a role in the SCC process of Al 2024-T351 in 3.5% NaCl solution at both anodic and cathodic applied potentials, and the contribution of each mechanism could vary with different testing variables. It was also found that the SCC susceptibility of Al 2024-T351 obtained from the CLT result could provide the similar SCC evaluation result obtained by SSRT with a proper selection of testing variables. The metallurgical aspect of SCC behaviour of Al 2024-T351 was also discussed based on the microstructural and fractographic examinations.