• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2013

This study investigates the crack growth behavior due to primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) in the dissimilar metal butt weld of a reactor piping using Alloy 82/182. First, detailed finite element stress analyses were performed to predict the stress distribution of the dissimilar metal butt weld in which the hydrostatic and the normal operating loads as well as the weld residual stresses were considered to evaluate the stress redistribution due to mechanical loadings. Based on the stress distributions along the wall thickness of the dissimilar metal butt weld, the crack growth behavior of the postulated axial and circumferential cracks were predicted, from which the crack growth diagram due to PWSCC was proposed. The present results can be applied to predict the crack growth rate in the dissimilar metal butt weld of reactor piping due to PWSCC.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.153-161
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• 2009

After several PWSCCs were found in Bugey(France), Ringhals(Sweden), Tihange(Belgium), Oconee, Arkansas, Crystal Fever, Davis-Basse, VC Summer(U.S.A.), Thuruga(Japan), USNRC and PNNL started the research on PWSCC, that is, PINC project. The aim of this project is to fabricate and obtain representative NDE mock-ups with flaws to simulate tight PWSCC cracks, to identify and quantitatively assess NDE methods for accurately detecting, sizing and characterizing tight cracks such as PWSCC, to document the range of locations and crack morphologies associated with PWSCC and observed responses and to incorporate findings from other ongoing PWSCC research programs, as appropriate. By participating in PINC project, Korean morphology technique about PWSCC and NDE technique have improved and become similar lever with other advanced country. Therefore, the evaluation technique of integrity for nickel alloy component has been improved by cooperation with university, research institute and industries.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.141-150
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• 2022

Responding to the increasing demand for research on seismic resistance of structures triggered by a large-scale earthquake in Korea, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety revised the typical application of the existing seismic design standards with the national seismic performance target enhanced. Therefore, in this paper, the dam body of the aged Test-Bed and the penstock with fluid were modeled by the three-dimensional finite element method by introducing several variables. The current seismic design standard law confirmed the safety of the dam structure and penstock against seismic waves. As a result of the 3D finite element analysis, the stress change due to the water impact of the penstock was minimal, and it was confirmed that the effect of the hydraulic pressure was more significant than the water impact in the earthquake situation. When the hydrostatic pressure is in the form of SPH, it was analyzed that the motion of the fluid and the location of stress caused by the earthquake can be effectively represented, and it will be easier to analyze the weak part. As a result of the analysis, which considers penstock's corrosion, the degree of stress dispersion gets smaller because the penstock is embedded in the body. The stress result is minimal, less than 1% of the yield stress of the steel. In addition, although there is a possibility of micro-tensile cracks occurring in the inlet of the dam, it has not been shown to have a significant effect on the stress increa.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.374-382
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• 2009

Steam generator(SG) tube, as a barrier isolating primary to the secondary coolant system of nuclear power plants(NPP), must maintain the structural integrity far the public safety and its efficient power generation capacity. And SG tubes bearing defects must be timely detected and taken repair measures if needed. For the accomplishment of these objectives, SG tubes have been periodically examined by eddy current testing(ECT) on the basis of administrative notices and intensified SG management program(SGMP). Stress corrosion cracking(SCC) on the SG tubes is not easily detected and even missed since it has lower signal amplitude and other disturbing factors against its detection. However once SCC is developed, that can cause detrimental affects to the SG tubes due to its rapid propagation rate. Accordingly SCC is categorized as prime damage mechanism challenging the soundness of the SG tubes. In this study, reproduced EDM notch specimens are examined for the detectability and quantitative characterization of the axial ODSCC by +PT MRPC probe, containing pancake, +PT and shielded pancake coils apart in a single plane around the circumference. The results of this study are assumed to be applicable fur providing key information of engineering evaluation of SCC and improvement of confidence level of ECT on SG tubes.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.174-183
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• 1996

Acoustic emission(AE) response during stress corrosion cracking(SCC) of Inconel 600 alloy has been monitored to study the AE detectability of crack generation and growth by comparing the crack behavior with AE parameters processed, and to evaluate the applicability as a nondestructive evaluation(AE) by measuring the minimum crack size detectable with AE. Variously heat-treated specimens were tensioned by constant extension rate test(CERT) in various extension rate to give rise to the different SCC behavior of specimens. The AE amplitude level generated from intergranular stress-corrosion cracking(IGSCC) is higher than those from ductile fracture and mechanical deformation, which means the AE amplitude can be a significant parameter for distinguishing the An source. AE can also provide the effective means to identify the transition from the small crack initiation and formation of dominant cracks to the dominant crack growth. Minimum crack size detectable with AE is supposed to be approximately 200 to $400{\mu}m$ in length and below $100{\mu}m$ in depth. The test results show that AE technique has a capability for detecting the early stage of IGSCC growth and the potential for practical application as a NDE.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.38-44
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• 2003

Performance demonstration with real flawed specimens has been strongly required for nondestructive evaluation of safety class components in nuclear power plant. Mechanical or thermal fatigue crack and intergranular stress corrosion cracking could be occured in the in-service nuclear power plant and mechanical fatigue crack was selected to study in this paper. Specimen was designed to produce mechanical fatigue flaw under tensile stress. The number of cycles and the level of stress were controlled to obtain the desired flaw roughness. After the accurate physical measurement of the flaw size and location, fracture surface was seal-welded in place to ensure the designed location and site. The remaining weld groove was then filled by using gas-tungsten are welding(GTAW) and flux-cored arc welding(FCAW). Results of radio graphic and ultrasonic testing showed that fatigue cracks were consistent with the designed size and location in the final specimens.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.212-219
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• 2003

This study is to evaluate the characteristics of SCC at the welded region of high strength steel using acoustic emission(AE) method. Specimens were loaded by a slow strain rate method in synthetic seawater and the damage process was monitored simultaneously by AE method. Corrosive environment was controlled using the potentiostat, in which -0.8V and -1.1V were applied to the specimens. In the case of one-pass weldment subjected to -0.8V, much more AE counts were detected compared with the PWHT specimen. It was verified through the cumulative counts that coalescence of micro cracks and cracks for the one pass weldment with -0.8V were mostly detected. In case of the one pass weldment subjected to -1.1V, time to failure became shorter and AE counts were produced considerably as compared with that of the two pass weldment. It was shown that AE counts and range of AE amplitude have close relations with the number and size as well as width of the cracks which were formed during the SCC.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.18 no.2 s.92
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• pp.293-298
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• 2006

The reinforced concrete(RC) structures strengthened with fiber reinforced plastic(FRP) has been accepted by the construction engineering community for rehabilitation. FRP composites can present many advantages like a corrosion resistance, strength-weight ratio, relatively short application time, and cost effectiveness. The beams under design load, however, are cracked and result in degrading the strength. It is difficult to recognize cracks and deflections on the surface of the concrete members retrofitted with FRP through the life cycle. For these reasons, if they result in the effects, which were below the expected strength, we must monitor the state of concrete structures all the time in order to take an appropriate measure. Fiber Bragg Grating(FBG) sensor excel as monitoring of investigating the stress state of the retrofitted beams with FRP. The main objective of this study is to measure strain by experiment and analyze the behavior of RC beams retrofitted with FRP using FBG sensor. The kinds of FRP which were used in research are carbon, glass and improved hybrid FRP(IFRP) that has capacity than any other FRP. Other variables are the length of FRP, the number of sheet.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.313-323
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• 2018

The presence of water inside concrete structures is an essential condition for the deterioration of the structures. The free water in the concrete pores and micro-cracks is the culprit for the durability related problems, such as alkali-aggregate reaction, carbonation, freeze-thaw damage, and corrosion of steel reinforcement. To ensure the integrity and safe operation of the concrete structures, it is very important to monitor water seepage inside the concrete. This paper presents the experimental investigation of water seepage monitoring in a concrete slab using piezoelectric-based smart aggregates. In the experimental setup, an $800mm{\times}800mm{\times}100mm$ concrete slab was fabricated with 15 SAs distributed inside the slab. The water seepage process was monitored through interrogating the SA pairs. In each SA pair, one SA was used as actuator to emit harmonic sine wave, and the other was used as sensor to receive the transmitted stress wave. The amplitudes of the received signals were able to indicate the water seepage process inside the concrete slab.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.265-276
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• 2013

Pressure tubes made of Zr-2.5 wt% Nb alloy are important components consisting reactor coolant pressure boundary of a pressurized heavy water reactor, in which unanticipated through-wall cracks and rupture may occur due to a delayed hydride cracking (DHC). The Canadian Standards Association has provided deterministic and probabilistic structural integrity evaluation procedures to protect pressure tubes against DHC. However, intuitive understanding and subsequent assessment of flaw behaviors are still insufficient due to complex degradation mechanisms and diverse influential parameters of DHC compared with those of stress corrosion cracking and fatigue crack growth phenomena. In the present study, a deterministic flaw assessment program was developed and applied for systematic integrity assessment of the pressure tubes. Based on the examination results dealing with effects of flaw shapes, pressure tube dimensional changes, hydrogen concentrations of pressure tubes and plant operation scenarios, a simple and rough method for effective cooldown operation was proposed to minimize DHC risks. The developed deterministic assessment program for pressure tubes can be used to derive further technical bases for probabilistic damage frequency assessment.