Atmospherically-induced stress corrosion cracking (AISCC) in the presence of chloride deposits has been responsible for considerable incidents of rock climbing anchors breaking under minimal loads in seaside locations, putting climbers lives at stake. However, to date, failures due to AISCC have only been documented in anchors made of Type 304/304L and similar, and no rigorously documented failures have been shown to occur to Type 316/316L anchors. In order to support preparation of a new standard classifying anchors according to their corrosion resistance, the influence of environmental parameters such as periodic washing of chloride deposits, electrolyte pH, and type of rock on AISCC initiation and crack growth rate was studied in laboratory conditions by exposing U-bent specimens of stainless steel Types 321, 304, and 316L with MgCl2 deposits in air at 40°C to 50°C and at 35% to 45% relative humidity. The type of rock and electrolyte pH were not critical parameters for AISCC. Alkaline conditions only slightly prolonged stable crack initiation period and decreased the crack growth rate. Periodic washing in sufficiently short intervals was capable of significantly retarding or even arresting AISCC. The crack growth rate in Type 316L stainless steel was 2- to 3-fold slower than in the molybdenum-free Types 304 and 321. These last two effects are quite likely responsible for the lack of failures observed in Type 316/316L. In view of the lifetime expectancy of rock climbing anchors and other safety-relevant members, the crack growth rate was unacceptably high in all studied materials and their installation should be avoided in vulnerable seaside regions.
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1 November 2019
SCIENCE SECTION|
August 17 2019
Atmospheric Stress Corrosion Cracking of Stainless Steel Rock Climbing Anchors, Part 2: Laboratory Experiments
Tomáš Prošek;
Tomáš Prošek
‡
*University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technopark Kralupy, Department of Metallic Construction Materials, Žižkova 7, 278 01 Kralupy nad Vltavou, Czech Republic.
‡Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].
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Jiří Lieberzeit;
Jiří Lieberzeit
*University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technopark Kralupy, Department of Metallic Construction Materials, Žižkova 7, 278 01 Kralupy nad Vltavou, Czech Republic.
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Alan Jarvis;
Alan Jarvis
**International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA), Monbijoustrasse 61, Postfach CH-3000 Bern 23, Switzerland.
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Lionel Kiener
Lionel Kiener
**International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA), Monbijoustrasse 61, Postfach CH-3000 Bern 23, Switzerland.
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CORROSION (2019) 75 (11): 1371–1382.
Article history
Received:
April 15 2019
Revision Received:
August 17 2019
Accepted:
August 17 2019
Citation
Tomáš Prošek, Jiří Lieberzeit, Alan Jarvis, Lionel Kiener; Atmospheric Stress Corrosion Cracking of Stainless Steel Rock Climbing Anchors, Part 2: Laboratory Experiments. CORROSION 1 November 2019; 75 (11): 1371–1382. doi: https://doi.org/10.5006/3242
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