• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.1570-1578
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• 2022

During a severe accident, steam generator (SG) tubes undergo rapid changes in the pressure and temperature. Therefore, an appropriate creep model to predict a short term creep damage is essential. In this paper, a novel creep model for Alloy 690 SG tube material was proposed. It is based on the theta (θ) projection method that can represent all three stages of the creep process. The original θ projection method poses a limitation owing to its inability to represent experimental creep curves for SG tube materials for a large strain rate in the tertiary creep region. Therefore, a new modified θ projection method is proposed; subsequently, a master curve for Alloy 690 SG material is also proposed to optimize the creep model parameters, θ_i (i = 1-5). To adapt the implicit creep scheme to the finite element code, a partial derivative of incremental creep with respect to the stress is necessary. Accordingly, creep model parameters with a strictly linear relationship with the stress and temperature were proposed. The effectiveness of the model was validated using a commercial finite element analysis software. The creep model can be applied to evaluate the creep rupture behavior of SG tubes in nuclear power plants.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.265-268
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• 2000

In this study, a small punch creep (SP-Creep) test using miniaturized specimen has been described for the development of the new creep test method for high temperature structural components such as headers and tubes of boiler, turbine casing and rotor, and reactor vessel. The SP-Creep testing technique has been applied to 1Cr-0.5Mo steel used widely as boiler header material and the creep test temperature are varied at $550^{\circ}C{\sim}600^{\circ}C$. From the experimental results, e.g. SP-Creep curve behaviors, the creep rate in steady state and creep rupture life with test temperature and load, the load exponential value(n, m), the activation energy($Q_{spc}$), the Monkman-Grant relation and the creep life assessment equation etc., it can be summarized that the SP-Creep test may be a useful test method to evaluate the creep properties of the heat resisting material such as boiler header.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1182-1189
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• 1995

Several methods have been developed to predict the creep rupture time of the steam pipes in thermal power plant. However, existing creep life prediction methods give very conservative value at operating stress of power plant and creep rupture strain cannot be well estimated. Therefore, in this study, creep rupture time and strain prediction method accounting for material damage and grain boundary sliding is newly proposed and compared with the existing experimental data. The creep damage evolves by continuous cavity nucleation and constrained cavity growth. The results showed good correlation between the theoretically predicted creep rupture time and the experimental data. And creep rupture strain may be well estimated by using the proposed method.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.101-117
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• 2007

A new model predicting the nonlinear basic creep behaviour of concrete structures subjected to high multi-axial stresses is proposed. It combines a model based on the thermodynamic framework of the elasto-plastic continuum damage theory for time-independent material behaviour and a rheological model describing phenomenologically the long-term delayed deformation. Strength increase due to ageing is regarded. The general 3D solution for the creep theory is derived from a rate-type form of the uniaxial formulation by the assumption of associated creep flow and a theorem of energy equivalence. The model is able to reproduce linear primary creep as well as secondary and tertiary creep stages under high compressive stresses. For concrete in tension a simple viscoelastic formulation is applied. The material law is then incorporated into a finite element solution procedure for analysis of reinforced concrete structures. Numerical examples of uniaxial creep tests and concrete members show excellent agreement with experimental results.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.91-97
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• 1998

The analysis model is the infinite body consisted of power law creep material containing a rigid inclusion with line crack shape subjected to the arbitrarily directional stress on an infinite boundary. The crack analysis is performed using the complex pseudo-stress function. The strain rate intensity factor is determined in the closed form as new fracture mechanics parmeter which represents the magnitudes of stress and strain rate near the tip in power law creep material.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.2837-2845
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• 1994

Several methods have been developed to predict on the remaining life of the old power plants. However, Larson-Miller parameter, one of existing creep life prediction methods, has not reflected the effect of material degradatioin and grain size. So this study has been carried out to research the effects of material degradation and austenite grain coarsening on the life prediction of 3.5Ni-Cr-Mo-V steel. An experimental result shows that carbide coarsening has no significant effects on the creep rupture life and the Larson-Miller parameter, but grain coarsening has an important influence on the creep ruptrure life and the Larson-Miller parameter. Therefore Larson-Miller constant, K should be determined to consider on the chemical composition and the grain size of materials.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.511-516
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• 2001

Recently small punch creep testing (or miniature disc bend creep test) has received much attention through European collaborative research projects. This method was considered as a substitute for the conventional creep rupture testing by which the residual creep life is measured from the specimen taken out from serviced components of high temperature plants. It would be beneficial if the material creep properties such as power law creep constants as well as the creep rupture life can be measured from the small punch creep test. In this paper a method of assessing creep constants from the small punch creep testing is proposed. Finite element analyses were performed to investigate evolution of stress and strain rate at the weakest locations of the small punch creep specimen. Elastic-plastic-secondary creep analyses were carried out. The estimation equations for creep constants by the small punch creep testing are proposed based on the finite analysis results. Small punch creep tests were also performed with 9Cr steel and the accuracy of the proposed equation was verified by the experimental results.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.94-101
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• 2003

The pressure tubes made of cold-worked Zr-2.5Nb alloy are subjected to creep deformation during service period resulting in changes to their geometry such as longitudinal elongation, diameter increase and sagging. To evaluate integrity of them, information on the material creep property of the serviced tubes is essential. As one of the methods with which the creep property is directly measured from the serviced components, small punch(SP) creep testing has been considered as a substitute for the conventional uniaxial creep testing. In this study, applicability of the SP creep testing to Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube alloy was studied particularly by measuring the power law creep constants, A, n. The SP creep test has been successfully applied fur other high temperature materials which have isotropic behavior. Since the Zr-2.5Nb alloy has anisotropic property, applicability of the SP creep testing can be limited. Uniaxial creep tests and small punch creep tests were conducted with Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube alloy along with finite element analyses. Creep constants obtained by each test method are compared. It was argued that the SP creep test result gave results reflecting material properties of both directions. But the equations derived in the previous study for isotropic materials need to be modified. Discussions were made fur future research directions for application of the SP creep testing to Zr-2.5Nb tube alloy.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1455-1463
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• 2009

Theoretical mechanics analysis and finite element simulation were performed to investigate creep deformation behavior at the crack tip of transversely isotropic materials under small scale creep (SCC) conditions. Mechanical behavior of material was assumed as an elastic-$2^{nd}$ creep, which elastic modulus ( E ), Poisson's ratio ( ${\nu}$ ) and creep stress exponent ( n ) were isotropic and creep coefficient was only transversely isotropic. Based on the mechanics analysis for material behavior, a constitutive equation for transversely isotropic creep behavior was formulated and an equivalent creep coefficient was proposed under plain strain conditions. Creep deformation behavior at the crack tip was investigated through the finite element analysis. The results of the finite element analysis showed that creep deformation in transversely isotropic materials is dominant at the rear of the crack-tip. This result was more obvious when a load was applied to principal axis of anisotropy. Based on the results of the mechanics analysis and the finite element simulation, a corrected estimation scheme of the creep zone size was proposed in order to evaluate the creep deformation behavior at the crack tip of transversely isotropic creeping materials.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.917-925
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• 2022

Steam generator (SG) tubes in a nuclear power plant can undergo rapid changes in pressure and temperature during an accident; thus, an accurate model to predict short-term creep damage is essential. The theta (𝜃) projection method has been widely used for modeling creep-strain behavior under constant stress. However, many creep test data are obtained under constant load, so creep rupture behavior under a constant load cannot be accurately simulated due to the different stress conditions. This paper proposes a novel methodology to obtain the creep curve under constant stress using a modified 𝜃 projection method that considers the increase in true stress during creep deformation in a constant-load creep test. The methodology is validated using finite element analysis, and the limitations of the methodology are also discussed. The paper also proposes a creep-strain model for alloy 690 as an SG material and a novel creep hardening rule we call the damage-fraction hardening rule. The creep hardening rule is applied to evaluate the creep rupture behavior of SG tubes. The results of this study show its great potential to evaluate the rupture behavior of an SG tube governed by creep deformation.