Three grades of high strength pipeline steel (API X60, X60SS, and X70) are
subjected to cathodic hydrogen charging to determine the susceptibility of
each steel grade to hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC). The specimens are
subjected to tensile stress until failure to generate stress-strain, ductility, and
toughness data. The fractured specimens are analyzed using a scanning
electron microscope equipped with an EDS detector to determine crack
initiation sites for the investigated grades of steel. The expectation that the
X60SS steel grade will perform better than other grades is not met, instead it
is found that under the cathodic hydrogen charging condition, the X60SS is
more susceptible than the other two steel grades with respect to loss of
toughness, ductility, and ultimate tensile strength. The presence of Ca-Albased
inclusions is the most common along the fracture surfaces. Therefore,
these inclusions also act as fairly strong trapping sites that under plastically
strained conditions, they can result in fisheye features which severely impact
the mechanical properties of the steel specimens.