Effects of manufacturing-induced residual stresses and strains on hydrogen embrittlement of cold drawn steels

AbstractCold drawn wires of eutectoid pearlitic steel are widely used for prestressing concrete structures that usually work in harsh environments, so that stress corrosion cracking of prestressing steel is a problem of major technological concern. In this paper a previous model developed by the authors is applied to analyse the influence of the residual stress-and-strain profiles after cold drawing on the hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility of prestressing steel wires. Numerical results show the relevant role of both residual stress and strain field in hydrogen diffusion in this materia