• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.1412-1422
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• 2016

Austenitic stainless steels (ASSs) are widely used for nuclear pipes as they exhibit a good combination of mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. However, high tensile residual stresses may occur in ASS welds because postweld heat treatment is not generally conducted in order to avoid sensitization, which causes a stress corrosion crack. In this study, round robin analyses on stress intensity factors (SIFs) were carried out to examine the appropriateness of structural integrity assessment methods for ASS pipe welds with two types of circumferential cracks. Typical stress profiles were generated from finite element analyses by considering residual stresses and normal operating conditions. Then, SIFs of cracked ASS pipes were determined by analytical equations represented in fitness-for-service assessment codes as well as reference finite element analyses. The discrepancies of estimated SIFs among round robin participants were confirmed due to different assessment procedures and relevant considerations, as well as the mistakes of participants. The effects of uncertainty factors on SIFs were deducted from sensitivity analyses and, based on the similarity and conservatism compared with detailed finite element analysis results, the R6 code, taking into account the applied internal pressure and combination of stress components, was recommended as the optimum procedure for SIF estimation.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.224-227
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• 2001

In this study, CT specimens were prepared hem ASTM SA516 which was used for pressure vessel plates for room and low temperature service. And we got the following characteristics from fatigue crack growth test carried out in the environment of room and low temperature at $25^{\circ}C$, -3$0^{\circ}C$, -6$0^{\circ}C$, -8$0^{\circ}C$, -l$0^{\circ}C$ and -l2$0^{\circ}C$ and in the range of stress ratio of 0.1, 0.3 by means of opening mode displacement. At the constant stress ratio, the threshold stress intensity factor range $\Delta K_{th}$ in the early stage of fatigue crack growth ( Region I ) and stress intensity factor range $\Delta$K in the stable of fatigue crack growth ( Region II) was increased in proportion to descend temperature. It assumed that the fatigue resistance characteristics and fracture strength at low temperature is considerable higher than that of room temperature in the early stage and stable of fatigue crack growth region. The straight line slope relation of logarithm da/dN - $\Delta$K in Region II, that is, the fatigue crack growth exponent m increased with descending temperature at the constant stress ratio. It assumed that the fatigue crack growth rate da/dN is rapid in proportion to descend temperature in Region H and the cryogenic-brittleness greatly affect a material with decreasing temperature.