NEUTRON-DIFFRACTION INVESTIGATIONS OF STRESSES IN AUSTENITIC STEEL

High-resolution neutron diffraction was applied to investigate the mec hanical properties of austenitic stainless steel. The neutron elastic constants for the given material were determined in situ under uniaxia l load. The strain was measured for different crystal planes (hkl), pa rallel and perpendicular to the loading direction. Martensitic phase f ormation was studied at different degrees of low cycle fatigue for a s eries of same-type steel samples. Residual stresses, microstresses in both phases, as well as martensitic precipitation volume fractions, we re estimated.