NACE/ASTM G193
Environmental cracking or environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) is the cracking of a material wherein an interaction with its environment is a causative factor in conjunction with tensile stress [author’s note: tensile stresses can be applied and/or residual], often resulting in brittle fracture of an otherwise ductile material.(1)
Example
![Environmental cracking of low alloy steel UNS G41400 (AISI 4140)](https://www.aboutcorrosion.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/102009392-ET-M5-PR¥VE-3-S1-center-0.88x12.50-1024x768.jpg)
References
- ASTM NACEASTM G193-12d “Standard Terminology and Acronyms Relating to Corrosion, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2003, DOI: 10.1520/G0193-12D, www.astm.org.
Updates
February 8th, 2017: added example micrograph.