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Rapid failure of metallic materials by an interaction between cyclic loading ( tensile stresses) and the presence of a corrosive environment the material has no (too little) resistance against. also when the corrosion scale is more brittle then the substrate and cracking in the (protective) scale occurs.

Initiation by corrosion causes local stress raisers and fine cracking which exposes a fresh metal surface, ready to corrode at the crack tip.

The generated corrosion product may act as a wedge generating additional forces to the metal. In general straight cracks develop perpendicular to the stresses.

Thermal (cyclic) stresses may result in a cracked earth pattern cracking ( surface appearance) since these stresses are randomly distributed over the materials surface, the cracks run perpendicular into the material.

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14y ago

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