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The delayed fracture characteristics of V-bearing steel were evaluated using conventional strain rate test (CSRT) and the hydrogen absorption and desorption behaviors were studied with the specimens hydrogen-charged and then exposed to air of 30°C for up to 2.5 months. CSRT was carried out at two test sites, and nearly the same delayed fracture resistance was obtained for the V-bearing steel. The fracture appearance changed from quasicleavage to intergranular with increasing hydrogen content. The hydrogen content of the boundary between fracture appearances was approximately 4 mass ppm. The hydrogen introduced into the V-bearing steel was composed of a diffusible one which decreased in concentration in 24 h when exposed to air of 30°C, and two types (weakly and strongly) of trapped ones. The strongly trapped hydrogen remained in the specimen after 2.5 months of exposure in air. By analyzing the thermal desorption profiles with Gaussian function, the peak temperatures of these hydrogen types were 100°C, 167°C and 198°C, corresponding to diffusible, weakly and strongly trapped hydrogen, respectively. The hydrogen-charged specimens of more than 4 mass ppm were fractured in the intergranular mode. After exposure in air and the hydrogen content became less than 4 mass ppm, the fracture mode changed to quasicleavage. After recharging the hydrogen to more than 4 mass ppm, the fracture mode became intergranular again.KEY WORDS: conventional strain rate test (CSRT); delayed fracture; V-bearing steel; hydrogen embrittlement; hydrogen trapping; thermal desorption analysis; diffusible hydrogen.

The delayed fracture characteristics of steels are expressed by the relationship between the maximum fracture stress and the hydrogen content at the notch tip of circumferentially notched round bar specimen, where delayed fracture initiates. This material constant is easily obtained by CSRT (Conventional Strain Rate Technique) method. The CSRT tests with the notch tip radius of 0.1, 0.25 or 0.8 mm were carried out on the high strength steel having 1300 MPa in tensile strength. Based on the probabilistic and statistical evaluation of the CSRT test results, the specimen with the notch root radius of 0.25 mm gives stable and average results of all experiments. Moreover, this notch geometry has the comparable stress concentration factor to the bottom of the actual bolt screw and easily machined with high accuracy. From these points of view the 0.25 mm radius notch is considered to become the standard specimen geometry. The scattering of delayed fracture characteristics was evaluated by applying the P-S-N method of fatigue test and the P-S-H method was demonstrated.