• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.712-718
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• 2015

Cast duplex stainless steels are susceptible to thermal aging during long-term service at temperatures ranging from $280^{\circ}C$ to $450^{\circ}C$. To analyze the effect of thermal aging on leak-before-break (LBB) behavior, three-dimensional finite element analysis models were built for circumferentially cracked pipes. Based on the elasticeplastic fracture mechanics theory, the detectable leakage crack length calculation and J-integral stability assessment diagram approach were carried out under different bending moments. The LBB curves and LBB assessment diagrams for unaged and thermally aged pipes were constructed. The results show that the detectable leakage crack length for thermally aged pipes increases with increasing bending moments, whereas the critical crack length decreases. The ligament instability line and critical crack length line for thermally aged pipes move downward and to the left, respectively, and unsafe LBB assessment results will be produced if thermal aging is not considered. If the applied bending moment is increased, the degree of safety decreases in the LBB assessment.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.70-76
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• 2013

Several finite element models for the leak-before-break (LBB) assessment of overlay dissimilar metal weldment were constructed and analyzed to develop a simple finite element modeling method. The J-integral, crack opening displacement (COD) and J-integral distribution along the crack front in thickness direction due to the applied moment were obtained from the analysis results of the constructed finite element models, and studied compared to the previous literatures. It is concluded that the modeling with base material only is simple and produces a slightly conservative results compared to the complex modeling composed with weld metal and base metal in the calculation of J-integrals and COD values which are used for the calculation of fracture toughness and postulated leakage crack length respectively.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.35-46
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• 2020

In this paper, a fracture mechanics evaluation system which can be used to assess the leak-before-break (LBB) of nuclear piping is developed. Existing solutions for calculating the fracture mechanics parameters (J-integral and crack opening displacement) required for LBB evaluation were firstly presented. Then a module for calculating J-integral and COD was developed, with an additional module for predicting the critical load based on the crack driving force diagram to finally develop a fracture mechanics evaluation system. To confirm the validity of the proposed evaluation system, finite element (FE) analysis was performed, and the FE J-integral and COD results were compared with prediction results using the J-integral and COD estimations program. Furthermore, the critical load assessment module was verified by comparing the actual pipe test results (Battelle test data) with prediction results using the proposed program.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1862-1871
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• 1996

The puopose of this paper is sto modify the current LBB criteria. The validity of current LBB criteria and current standard LBB analysis mehtod are evaluated using linear elastic fracture mechanics and elastic-plastic fracture mechanics. The results of evaluation demonstrate that the current LBB driteria are very conservative and some level of margins already exist in the standard LBB analysis method. Thus, the margin on load .root. and margin on crack size 2 can be eliminated to extend LBB application for the samller diameter pipe.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.39 no.7
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• pp.645-652
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• 2015

In this study, a method for determining Ramberg-Osgood constants for leak-before-break evaluation was investigated. The Ramberg-Osgood constants were calculated for SA312, TP316, and SA-508 Gr.1a in an operating temperature of $316^{\circ}C$. Incremental plasticity, using stress-strain data obtained from experiment, and deformation plasticity, using the Ramberg-Osgood constants, were considered in a finite element analysis. Using incremental plasticity and deformation plasticity, J-integrals and crack opening displacement values were calculated and compared. By comparing the results of incremental plasticity and deformation plasticity, a suitable method for determining Ramberg-Osgood constants for leak-before-break evaluation was confirmed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1996.05c
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• pp.193-198
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• 1996

The effect of dynamic strain aging (DSA) on the leak-before-break (LBB) analysis was estimated through the evaluation of leakage-size-crack and flaw stability in SA106 Gr.C piping steel. Also. the results were represented as a form of "LBB allowable load window". In the DSA temperature region. the leakage-size-crack length was smaller than that at other temperatures and it increased with increasing tensile strain rate. In the results of flaw stability analysis. the lowest instability load appeared at the temperature corresponding to minimum J- R curve which was caused by DSA. The instability load near the plant operating temperature depended on the loading rate of J-R data. and decreased with increasing tensile strain rate. These are due to the strain hardening characteristic and strain rate sensitivity of DSA. In the "LBB allowable load window". LBB allowable region was the narrowest at the temperature and loading conditions where DSA occurs.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1872-1881
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• 1996

LBB(Leak-Before-Break) analysis is performed for the highest stress location of each different type of mateerials in the nuclear piping line. In most cases, the highest stress occurs in the pipe and nozzle interface location. i.e. terminal end. The current finite element analysis approach utilizes the symmetry condition both for locations near the nozzle and for locationa away from the nozzle to minimize the size of the finite element model and to make analysis simple when calculating the J-integral values at the crack tip. In other words, the nozzle is not included in the finite element model. However, in reality, the symmetric condition is not applicable for the pipe-nozzle interface location. Because the pipe-nozzle interface location is asymmetric due to different stiffenss of the pipe and nozzle(both material and dimensions). The simplified analysis approach for pipe-nozzle interface locaiton is too conservative for a smaller diameter piping. In tlhis paper, various analyses are performed for the range of materials and crack sizes to evaluate the nozzle effect for a LBB anlaysis. This paper presents methodology for developing the piping evaluaiton diagram at the pipe-nozzle interface location.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.731-740
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• 1995

The objective of this paper is to develop defect assessment technology for integrity evaluation of CANDU pressure tubes. In fracture mechanics analysis, three-dimensional and two-dimensional (line-spring model) finite element analyses were performed to obtain the stress intensity factor for axial and circumferential surface cracks. In leak before break (LBB) analysis, heat transfer analyses for through-wall cracks were performed by considering the cooling effect and the LBB application time was computed. It was shown that the analytical results obtained in this study provide less-conservative but accurate solution for defect assessment of CANDU pressure tubes.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.332-339
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• 2015

The leak before break (LBB) concept is widely used in designing pipe lines in nuclear power plants. According to the concept, the amount of leaking liquid from a pipe should be more than the minimum detectable leak rate of a leak detection system before catastrophic failure occurs. Therefore, accurate estimation of the leak rate is important to evaluate the validity of the LBB concept in pipe line design. In this paper, a program was developed to estimate the leak rate through circumferential cracks in pipes in nuclear power plants using the Henry-Fauske flow model and modified Henry-Fauske flow model. By using the developed program, the leak rate was calculated for a circumferential crack in a sample pipe, and the effect of the flow model on the leak rate was examined. Treating the crack morphology parameters as random variables, the statistical behavior of the leak rate was also examined. As a result, it was found that the crack morphology parameters have a strong effect on the leak rate and the statistical behavior of the leak rate can be simulated using normally distributed crack morphology parameters.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.651-659
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• 2011

With the increase in the thermal power output of recently developed nuclear power plants, the applied forces and moments are increased in some piping systems, so that the leak-before-break (LBB) application criteria would not be satisfied in those pipes. In this paper, we present a method for obtaining the additive LBB margin in the pipes by considering the nonlinearity of the crack and material properties. Finite element analysis and the moment-rotation equation of beam theory were used to calculate the nonlinearity of the crack and material properties. Moreover crack stability analysis was performed using the method proposed in this study. The LBB margin was increased effectively through consideration of the nonlinearity of the crack and material properties in the pipe.