Industry is constantly searching for improved materials for use in highly demanding applications. The materials chosen must withstand a wide range of temperatures and extended exposure in aggressive environments, including hydrogen gas. Because of the risk of catastrophe if brittle failure occurs, careful material selection is imperative. Austenitic stainless steels may be a likely choice for hydrogen service because their behavior in high pressure hydrogen ranges from no apparent damage to relevant, but generally small ductility loss (13). Because of this Variation in behavior, a single category cannot be established to encompass all austenitic steels and studies must be performed on each type of steel to determine its behavior under specific circumstances. Two steels being currently under consideration for use in hydrogen are Armco 21-6-9 and Tenelon, both are fully austenitic stainless steels which may be used over a wide range of temperatures, including service at liquid nitrogen temperature. / Master of Science / incomplete_metadata

The influence of impurities in magnesium chloride upon the rate of attack of stress corrosion cracking in AISI 304 stainless steel has been investigated. Previous investigations in this laboratory indicated that different batches of technical grade magnesium chloride produced poor reproducibility of results. These inconsistencies were attributed to the presence of varying amounts of impurities which are commonly found in technical grade magnesium chloride. In this investigation, certified grade magnesium chloride was used with impurities intentionally added in order to determine how each affected the constants M and C in the following equation, which relates the maximum crack depth D, to the time of exposure to the corrosive medium, t: log t • D/M + log C The constant C represents the time of exposure to the corrosive media to nucleate cracking, and M is a function of the rate at which cracks propagate. It was determined that the impurity ions most commonly found in magnesium chloride were nitrate, sulfate, and calcium. A significant difference in the constants V and M was found to exist with the presence of each impurity. It was not determined, however, if a change in pH resulted from the addition of the impurity compounds. Hence, a further study is required in order to determine the pH of the corrosive media and the effects of its changes. / Master of Science

There has been an increase in the production of bio-fuels. Organosolv delignification, high temperature ethanol/water environments, can be used to separate lignin, cellulose, and hemicelluloses in the bio-mass for bio-fuel production. These environments have been shown to induce stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in 316L stainless steel. Previous research has been done in mixed solvent environments at room temperature to understand SCC for stainless steels, but little is known about the behavior in high temperature environments. Simulated organosolv delignification environments were studied, varying water content, temperature, pHe, and Cl- content to understand how these constituents impact SCC. In order for SCC to occur in 316L, there needs to be between 10 and 90 volume % water and the environment needs to be at a temperature around 200°C. Once these two conditions are met, the environment needs to either have pHe < 4 or have more than 10 ppm Cl-. These threshold conditions are based on the organosolv delignification simulated environments tested. SCC severity was seen to increase as water content, temperature, and Cl- content increased and as pHe decreased. To prevent failure of industrial vessels encountering organosolv delignification environments, care needs to be taken to monitor and adjust the constituents to prevent SCC.

Fretting, which can occur when two bodies in contact undergo a low amplitude relative slip, can drastically reduce the fatigue performance of a material. The extent of fretting damage is dependent on the material combination and is affected by many parameters, making it difficult to design against fretting. Some of these parameters include contact force, displacement amplitude, and contacting materials. This work develops a method for quantifying the extent of damage from fretting as a function of these parameters for a thin sheet of AISI 301 stainless steel in the full hard condition in contact with both ANSI A356 aluminum and AISI 52100 steel contacting bodies. Fretting experiments were conducted on a Phoenix Tribology DN55 Fretting Machine using a fixture which was developed for holding thin specimens. The displacement amplitude and normal force were systematically varied in order to cover a range that could typically be experienced during service. The tribological behavior was studied by analyzing friction force during cycling and inspecting the resulting surface characteristics. Fretting damaged specimens were cycled in tension in a servohydraulic test system to failure. The decrease in fatigue life caused by fretting damage was determined by comparing the stress-life (S-N) response of the fretted specimens to the S-N response of the virgin material, thus characterizing the severity of the fretting damage. The conditions that lead to the greatest reduction in life were identified in this way. Using the fracture mechanics based NASGRO model, an Equivalent Initial Flaw Size (EIFS) was used to quantify the level of fretting damage, thus separating the life of the component into crack nucleation and subsequent propagation. This method and data will allow engineers to design more robust components that resist fretting damage, thus increasing the safety and reliability of the system.

This research is aimed at examining experimentally and analytically the behavior of reinforced concrete bridge pier caps strengthened with externally bonded reinforcement. In the experimental study, nine full-scale reinforced concrete bridge pier caps were built, externally strengthened with stainless steel reinforcement, and ten tested to failure. Load, deflection, and strain measurements were collected and two potential failure mechanisms were identified. In the analytical part of this work, mechanics-based equations were developed for calculating the shear strength of these types of structural elements when a diagonal shear crack is formed under loading. In addition, a combined strut-and-tie/truss model is proposed for determining the strength of reinforced concrete bridge caps with externally bonded reinforcement. Results from both experimental and analytical studies were compared and design recommendations are made for future adoption in bridge and building codes and specifications.

This thesis examines the effects of cold forming on the material properties of steel and stainless steel structural members. Extensive research has been carried out over many years on both of these materials as they are used to manufacture structural sections to various design specifications which exist in many different countries. However, to date, no design code exists in the UK for cold formed stainless steel structural members. A significant amount of research has focused on the localised effect of cold forming on material properties such as the yield and ultimate tensile strengths, particularly of steel, and this is discussed at length in Chapter 1- Literature Review. Less attention has been placed on stainless steel, but over the last 20 years with the advent of design specifications particularly in the USA, stainless steel has gained popularity for cold forming. Chapter 1 describes the research that has been carried out on stainless steel, with particular emphasis on localised forming effects. Chapter 2 gives a general introduction to Thin-Walled Structures since cold-formed structural sections are commonly used as thin-walled members. The deformation and properties of metallic materials are described in Chapter 3 showing the particular relevance to the cold forming process. This chapter is extended into Chapter 4 where the strengthening, forming and properties of metallic materials are discussed in detail, with particular attention given to the cold forming processes. Chapter 5 describes existing analytical and design code approaches to determine the increase in strength of cold formed steel structural sections, along with an empirically derived relationship to calculate the increased yield strength of stainless steel sections. Chapter 6 describes the recommendations provided by various design specifications on evaluation of the axial compression capacity of short struts subject to varying degrees of cold forming. This chapter also describes the recommendations provided by various design specifications on evaluation of both the axial compression and the combined bending and axial compression load capacities of cold formed lipped channel section stainless steel columns of short-to-medium length. The results obtained from Chapters 5 and 6 are compared to the results obtained from an extensive experimental approach as described in Chapter 7. A finite element non-linear analysis using the ANSYS finite element software package is presented in Chapter 8 which models the behaviour of cold formed stainless steel lipped channel section columns of short-to-medium length subject to pure axial compression loading and also combined bending and axial compression loading. Chapter 9 presents the experimental findings showing the relationship between material hardness and material yield strength for cold-formed areas. The results are then compared to the theoretical results from Chapter 6 to determine their accuracy in prediction of the structural behaviour of full cold formed structural member cross-sections. The load capacity obtained for axially compressed steel and stainless steel struts from experiments are compared to those obtained from the various design code predictions described in Chapter 6. Also presented are the experimental findings, design code recommendations and finite element predictions for the load capacity of stainless steel columns. Chapter 10 concludes on the work by discussing the various issues arising from the experiments, from the design code recommendations and from finite element analysis 11 M. Macdonald

For numerical modeling and predictive analysis of warm hydroforming, better understanding of material properties (i.e. Flow curves) is required at elevated temperatures and high strains. Hydraulic bulge testing is a suitable method to obtain this information. However, analysis of the test data is not standardized as there are numerous approaches developed and adopted throughout the years. In this study, first, different approaches for hydraulic bulge analysis were compared with stepwise experiments to determine the best combination of approaches in obtaining accurate flow curves at different temperatures and strain rates. Then, three different grades of stainless steels (AISI 201, 301 and 304) were tested at various hydroforming conditions to determine the effect of pressure, temperature and strain rate on formability (i.e. cavity filling and thinning). These experimental findings were then used to be compared with predicted values from FEA. Results showed that material model works accurately in predicting the formability of materials in warm hydroforming.

This work was primarily motivated by the industrial need for control of problems associated with the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) of small bore titanium and austenitic stainless steel tubes. These include: pore creation and entrapment in the weld zone, and variability of the fusion zone geometry. The primary aim of this study was the development of a low current orbital plasma welding capability using a structured approach which could lead to defect minimisation. The methodology should also have the potential to be used in a number of different conditions, extending the use of plasma welding in both melt-in and keyhole modes for the orbital welding of small bore tubes. The project originally involved the modification of a totally enclosed orbital GTAW welding head for low current welding operations. It was established that for the current range required for small bore and small to medium thickness tubes, the use of a solid copper torch was sufficient to provide the required heat absorption. A stable arc was produced even for very low current values (down to 7A) while arc voltages were within the operating range of a standard GTA welding power source. Procedural (i.e. off line) control was adopted for identification and optimisation of welding parameters. Since no procedure was available for the proposed welds it was necessary to generate the parameters required for the production of consistent weld profiles. Simultaneously, an expert system has been developed for the determination of optimum process parameters based on empirical models, developed using statistical techniques. Parameter combinations were selected based on physical as well as statistical relevance, providing a measure of confidence when predicting the required weld bead output characteristics. The approach also indicates the influence of the major input parameters on weld bead geometry and defect formation, such as undercut. Two quality acceptance criteria were employed during this investigation, weld bead dimensional accuracy, and the type and seriousness of defects present (penetration / burn-through, porosity and undercut). Off line programming was utilised to control heat build up and to ensure welds were obtained with the desired geometry and minimal defect levels. The end result was the development of a prototype system for low current orbital plasma welding (in both melt-in and keyhole mode) of small bore tubes in a totally enclosed head. Tolerant procedures for low current orbital melt-in and particularly keyhole welding have been generated and a systematic methodology for the prediction and optimisation of welding procedures based on predetermined criteria has been developed.

A dissertation submitted to the University of the Witwatersrand in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering (Metallurgy & Materials) 2016 / The surfaces of AISI 316L stainless steel plate were laser alloyed with ruthenium powder as well as a mixture of ruthenium and nickel powders using a Nd:YAG laser set at fixed operating parameters. The microstructure, elemental composition, and corrosion characteristics of the alloyed zone were analysed using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), and corrosion potential measurements. EDS analysis of the alloyed specimen showed that through the laser surface alloying, 2 mm surface layers with 12.5wt % Ru and 5.2wt% Ru were produced on an AISI 316L stainless steel. Similar microstructures which were dendritic and columnar grains, typical of weld beads under non-equilibrium cooling conditions were observed for all samples. Hardness profile measurements showed a significant increase from 160 HV for the substrate to a maximum of 247 HV for the alloyed layer. Using an Autolab potentiostat, the corrosion behaviour and resistance of the laser alloyed layers, substrate AISI 316L, and Hastelloy© C-276 were evaluated and compared in sulphuric acid solution of different concentration and temperatures. The Hastelloy© C-276, followed by the 12.5wt% Ru presented the most noble corrosion potential (Ecorr) and the lowest corrosion current density (icorr). However, in 60wt% H2SO4 and 40oC, the 5.22 wt% Ru alloys exhibited slightly better anticorrosive properties than 12.5wt% Ru. The observed corrosion potential, Ecorr, for untreated AISI 316L stainless steel sample in 40wt% sulphuric acid solution at 40oC was -277 mV. The 5.22 wt% Ru and 12.5wt% Ru alloyed stainless steel samples presented -240 mV, and 61 mV respectively in the same solution. Besides showing comparable performance to 5.2wt%Ru sample within specific short potential ranges, Hastelloy© C-276 was generally superior in all solutions. In addition it was found that the stability of the passive layer was improved with additions of Ru. Based on the developed costing equation the cost of 5 mm AISI 316L stainless steel plate with surface area (A = 1 m2) surface alloyed with 5.2wt% Ru to a depth of 2 mm using Nd: YAG laser is estimated at R15 989, and it is less than the cost of a Hastelloy© C-276 plate of similar size which is estimated at R19 900. As the material thickness increases, the cost benefit of laser surface treatment increases and vice versa. Reduction of the Ru additions to levels below 5.2wt% would improve cost competition without detracting from performance. / MT2017

A dissertation submitted to the faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johanuesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering. / Ferritic stainless steels possess a number of properties which render them superior to austenitic stainless steels in certain applications. The ferritic stainless steels are highly resistant to stress-corrosion cracking and are generally of lower cost. Previous work had shown that the corrosion properties of the ferritic steels were optimised at a chromium content of forty percent. Extensive research had already characterised the mechanical and corrosion behaviour of the Fe"40Cr alloy in the cast and wrought form. This investigation involves the development of the material by powder metallurgy processing. Particular emphasis is placed on a proprietary powder production technique as well as on powder consolidation by Hot Isostatic Pressing. The effect of Ni, Mo, Ru, Nb, Al and Fe additions and well as various techniques of introducing these additions are examined. The unique effect of powder metallurgy manufacture on microstructure and the kinetics of sigma phase formation is highlighted. Corrosion tests in various concentrations of sulphuric acid and an industrial field trial were performed. It was found that combined Ni and Mo contents exceeding four percent resulted in severe embrittlement due to widespread formation of sigma phase during the HIP process. The use of powder metallurgy techniques was also found to enhance the kinetics of sigma phase formation in a particular alley when compared to the as-cast state. Direct additions of Fe powder were successful in inhibiting embrittlement, possibly due to a mechanism of Fe diffusion into Cr-rich regions. This lowered of the Cr content in these regions, thereby reducing the tendency for sigma precipitation. Corrosion tests indicate satisfactory resistance for the Fc-40Cr-2Ni-2Mo alloys in 70 weight percent sulphuric acid at 50°C. Alloys with 0.2 percent Ru additions were found to be especially resistant, due to the role of Ru as a cathodic modifier. The method of mixing and diffusion bonding metallic powders of varying composition was found to be feasible and certain novel combinations of Ni and Fe-rich alloys exhibited satisfactory corrosion resistance. A mathematical diffusion model was found to provide an order of magnitude approximation of the time required for hornogentsation in a certain mixture of powders. / Andrew Chakane 2018