• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.185-196
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• 1996

The purpose of this paper is to modify the ASME Code Z-Factor, which is used in the evaluation of circumferential surface crack in nuclear ferritic pipings. The ASME Code Z-Factor is a load multiplier to compensate plastic load with elasto-plastic load. The current ASME Code Z-Factor underestimates pipe maximum load. In this study, the original SC. TNP method is modified first because the original SC. TNP method has a problem that the maximum allowable load predicted from the original SC. TNP method is slightly higher than that measured from the experiment. Then the new Z-Factor is developed using the modified SC. TNP method. The desirability of both the modified SC. TNP method and the new Z-Factor is examined using the experimental results for the circumferential surface crack in pipings. The results show that (1) the modified SC. TNP method is good for predicting the circumferential surface crack behavior in pipings, and (2) the Z-Factor obtained from the modified SC. TNP method well predicts the behavior of circumferential surface crack in ferritic pipings.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1798-1809
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• 1996

The purpose of this paper is to develop new Z-Factors to evaluate the behavior of circumferential surface crack in ferritic steel piping including base metal and Submerged Arc Weld(SAW) metal in nuclear power plant. The Z-factor is a load multiplier to convert plastic load to elasto-plastic load. However the current Z-Factor is a load multiplier to convert plastic load to elasto-plastic load. However the current Z-Factor gives too conservative results. In this study, a J-estimation method, SC.TNP method, which is based on GE/EPRI expression, is used to develop new Z-Factors. The desirabilities of both the SC.TNP mehtod and the new Z-Factors are examined using the previous experimental results for the circumferential surface crack in ferritic steel pippings. The results are as follows ; (1) The SC.TNP mehtod is good for describing the circumferential surface crack behavior in farritic steel pipings, while the well-known R6 mehtod and DPFAD method give too conservative results. (2) The ASME-Z-Factor method using nwe Z-Factors well predicts the behavior of circumferential surface crack in ferritic steel pipings including base emtal and SAW metal.