Circumferential guided waves are used for the inspection of stress corrosion cracking (SCC). A simplified two dimensional model for crack sizing in pipes is presented. 2‐dimensional hybrid boundary element modeling analysis was used to study defect sizing and discrimination in a pipe‐like structure. The theoretical results agree with the experiments in utilizing a magnetostrictive sensor (MsS) technology for generating circumferential shear horizontal guided wave in pipe. An approximate 2‐dimensional theory based on an axial scan has been developed that improves the defect depth estimate considerably. © 2004 American Institute of Physics