• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.579-586
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• 2004

A study on the effects of oxide growth on the mechanical properties degradation of pure zirconium and Zircaloy-4 is carried out with high temperature tensile tests. It is found that the mechanical properties can deteriorate with the oxide growth less than $1\%$ of total specimen cross section, especially at $300\~400^{\circ}C$ that is zirconium alloy cladding temperature during the nuclear reactor operation. It is also revealed that Young's modulus changes little but yield strength and tensile strength drop down to $20\% and 40\%$ of the room temperature strength, respectively, in the temperature range. Fractographic analysis shows that the number of dimples decreases and fractured surface becomes smooth with increasing oxide thickness.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.1472-1482
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• 2017

Zirconium alloy cladding tube specimens were irradiated at $380^{\circ}C$ up to a fast neutron fluence of $7.5{\times}10^{24}n/m^2$ in a research reactor to investigate the effect of neutron irradiation on hydride reorientation and mechanical property degradation. Cool-down tests from $400^{\circ}C$ to $200^{\circ}C$ under 150 MPa tensile hoop stress were performed. These tests indicate that the irradiated specimens generated a smaller radial hydride fraction than did the unirradiated specimens and that higher hydrogen content generated a smaller radial hydride fraction. The irradiated specimens of 500 ppm-H showed smaller ultimate tensile strength and plastic strain than those characteristics of the 250 ppm-H specimens. This mechanical property degradation caused by neutron irradiation can be explained by tensile hoop stress-induced microcrack formation on the hydrides in the irradiation-damaged matrix and subsequent microcrack propagation along the hydrides and/or through the matrix.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1897-1904
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• 2002

Monotonic torsional and pure torsional low cycle fatigue(LCF) test with artificial degradation were performed on duplex stainless steel(CF8M). CF8M is used in pipes and valves in nuclear reactor coolant system. It was aged at 430$^{\circ}C$ for 3600hrs. Through the monotonic and LCF test, it is found that mechanical properties(i.e., yield strength, strain hardening exponent, strength coefficient etc.) increase and fatigue life(N$\sub$f/) decreases with degradation of material. The relationship between shear strain amplitude(${\gamma}$$\sub$a/)and N$\sub$f/ was proposed.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.807-815
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• 2004

In order to evaluate the static stability of hybrid carbody structures of Korean Tilting Train eXpress(TTX) caused by degradation of composites under ground environments, T300/AD6005 graphite/epoxy composite specimens were exposed to accelerated environmental conditions including ultraviolet radiation, temperature and moisture fer 2000 hours. It was found that the stiffness and strength of composites after aging were lower than those of unexposed specimens, and decreased as the aging time increases. The values of the degraded properties were used in the static analysis to check the static stability of hybrid carbody structures caused by environmental degradation of composites. The results shown that the structural stability of hybrid carbody structures was affected by the degradation of composites after exposure to accelerated aging environments.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.210-215
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• 2001

The ferritic 2.25CrMo steel has been used for high temperature structure applications such as turbine rotors, boilers and pressure vessels in fossil plant and petroleum chemical facilities. However, this steel is known to result in aging degradation due to temper embrittlement, carbide induced brittleness and softening of matrix after long time exposure to high temperature. This research investigated the microstructural and mechanical changes after artificial degradation treatment and evaluated the degree of degradation by several nondestructive methods. The decrease of electrical resistivity and increase of magnetic Barkhausen noise(RMS voltage) with increasing aging time were observed. The change of electrical resistivity and Barkhausen noise showed a good correlation with the ductile-brittle transition temperature.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.8-14
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• 2000

The remaining life estimation for the aged components in power plants as well as chemical plants are very important because mechanical properties of the components are degraded with time of service exposure in the high temperature. Since it is difficult to take specimens from the operating components to evaluate mechanical properties of components, accelerated aging technique are needed to estimate and analyse the material degradation. In the this study, test materials with 4 different degradation levels were prepared by isothermal aging heat treatment at $630^{\circ}C$. And tensile test, $k_{IC}$ test, hardness test and Scanning Electron Microscope analysis were performed in order to evaluate the degradation of 1Cr-1Mo-0.25V steels.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1604-1613
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• 2004

This paper presents an effective and reliable evaluation method for fracture strength and material degradation of the micro-structure of high temperature service steel weldment using advanced small punch (ASP) test developed from conventional small punch (CSP) test. For the purpose of the ASP test, a lower die with a minimized ${\Phi}$1.5 mm diameter loading ball and an optimized deformation guide hole of ${\Phi}$3 mm diameter were designed. The behaviors of fracture energy (E$\_$sp/), ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) and material degradation from the ASP test showed a definite dependency on the micro-structure of weldment. Results obtained from ASP test were compared and reviewed with results from CSP test, Charpy impact test, and hardness test. The utility and reliability of the proposed ASP test were verified by investigating fracture strength, behavior of DBTT, and fracture location of each micro-structure of steel weldment for test specimen in ASP test. It was observed that the fracture toughness in the micro-structure of FL＋CGHAZ and ICHAZ decreased remarkably with increasing aging time. From studies of all micro-structures, it was observed that FGHAZ microstructure has the most excellent fracture toughness, and it showed absence of material degradation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.1262-1269
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• 2002

It is inevitable to evaluate the life of turbine rotor because the operating periods of power plants need to be extended. For the test, seven kinds of specimens with different degradation levels were prepared by the isothermal heat treatment at $630^{\circ}C$. Magnetic methods utilizing Barkhausen noise coercive force($BN_c$) were applied to detect the degradation caused by thermal aging. Magnetic property of material is related with domain dynamics and that is affected by the microstructure of material. Therefore $BN_c$ is very sensitive to the microstructure change of the material. With the increase of degradation, $BN_c$ was decreased and this phenomenon is considered due to precipitations and grain size. The result was compared with Vickers hardness($H_v$) and coercive force($H_c$) to detect the relative variation, and was related with $H_v$ and YS to estimate the change of the mechanical properties with the degradation.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.171-176
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• 2000

As huge energy transfer systems like a nuclear power plant, steam power plant and petrochemical plant are operated for a long time, mechanical properties are changed by degradation. The life time of the systems can be affected by the mechanical properties. BI(Ball Indentation) test has a potential to replace conventional fracture tests like a uniaxial tensile test, fracture toughness test, hardness test and so on. In this paper, we would like to present the aging evaluation technique by the BI method. The four classes of the thermally aged 1Cr-1Mo-0.25V specimens were prepared using an artificially accelerated aging method. Tensile tests, fracture toughness tests, hardness tests and BI tests were performed. The results of the BI tests were in good agreement with fracture characteristics by a standard fracture test method. The IDE(Indentation Deformation Energy) of a BI technique as a new parameter for evaluating a degradation was suggested and the new IDE parameter clearly depicts the degradation degree.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.29-33
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• 2005

Critical current$(I_c)$ degradation of High $T_c$ Superconducting(HTS) tapes and AC loss under mechanical load is one of the hottest issues in HTS development and application. Mechanical load reduces the critical current of superconducting wire, and the $I_c$ degradation affects the AC loss of the wire. We measured the $I_c$ degradation and AC loss under tension and bending of Bi-2223 tapes made by 'Powder-in-Tube' technique at 77K with self-field. Also, we have studied the frequency characteristics on self-field AC loss in multi-filamentary Bi-2223/Ag tape at 77K. The measurement results and discussions on the relationship between $I_c$ degradation and AC loss are presented.