This standard covers the testing of welds subjected to tensile stresses for resistance to cracking in aqueous environments containing a source of hydrogen charging. Carbon and low alloy steels and their matching welds are commonly tested for EAC resistance at room temperature where susceptibility is typically high. For other types of alloys, the correlation of EAC susceptibility with temperature is more complicated. For example, dissimilar welds of nickel alloy on carbon or low alloy steel have shown susceptibility at low, seabed temperatures (4 °C [39 °F]). Matching welds made on duplex stainless steels have shown similar susceptibility (DNV RP-F112).

This standard describes the reagents, test specimen (base material, weld, and specimen properties), equipment to use, and specifies the test procedure to follow. This standard describes one test method: Delayed Hydrogen Cracking Test (DHCT).