On the existence of hydrostatic stress fields for mode II hydrogen embrittlement

On the basis of results on hydrogen embrittlement in Mode II loading, McGuinn and Aballe (Br. Corros. J. , 1982, Vol. 17, (1), 18) postulate that a significant bulk hydrostatic stress is not a necessary condition for H cracking in cold drawn bars. The present authors point out that because McGuinn and Aballe used only the pure elastic solutions, their work may contain an interpretative error and that a significant hydrostatic stress may indeed be necessary for H cracking.--D.O.N.