초록
A liquid metal reactor (LMR) operated at high temperatures is subjected to both cyclic mechanical loading and thermal loading; thus, creep-fatigue is a major concern to be addressed with regard to maintaining structural integrity. The Korea Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (KALIMER), which has a normal operating temperature of $545^{\circ}C$ and a total service life time of 60 years, is composed of various cylindrical structures, such as the reactor vessel and the reactor baffle. This study focuses on the creepfatigue crack initiation for a cylindrical Y-junction structure made of 316 stainless steel (SS), which is subjected to cyclic axial tensile loading and thermal loading at a high-temperature hold time of $545^{\circ}C$. The evaluation of the considered creep-fatigue crack initiation was carried out utilizing the ${\sigma}_d$ approach of the RCC-MR A16 guide, which is the high-temperature defect assessment procedure. This procedure is based on the total accumulated strain during the service time. To confirm the evaluated result, a high-temperature creep-fatigue structural test was performed. The test model had a circumferential through wall defect at the center of the model. The defect front of the test model was investigated after the $100^{th}$ cycle of the testing by utilizing a metallurgical inspection technique with an optical microscope, after which the test result was compared with the evaluation result. This study shows how creep-fatigue crack initiation for a high-temperature structure can be predicted with conservatism per the RCC-MR A16 guide.
