Fracture Analysis of Multiple Cracks in a Spinning Cylinder Experiment

1997 ◽  
Vol 119 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-235
Author(s):  
J. A. Keeney ◽  
B. R. Bass
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Plastic Material ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Coolant Temperature ◽  
Multiple Cracks ◽  
Finite Element Analyses ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Spinning Cylinder

This paper presents finite-element analyses of the cylinder specimen being used in the international Network for Evaluating Steel Components (NESC) large-scale spinning-cylinder project (NESC-1). The NESC was organized as an international forum to exchange information on procedures for structural integrity assessment, to collaborate on specific projects, and to promote the harmonization of international standards. The objective of the NESC-1 project is to focus on a complete procedure for assessing the structural integrity of aged reactor pressure vessels. Current plans for the testing program call for two large cracks to be installed in the NESC-1 cylinder separated by 90 deg. Three-dimensional finite-element analyses were carried out to determine: 1) the extent of interaction between multiple cracks in the cylinder; and 2) the predicted effects of using an initial cylinder temperature of 295°C and coolant temperature of 5°C in the experiment. The cylinder was modeled with innersurface through-clad cracks having a depth of 74 mm and aspect ratio of 2:1. The cylinder specimen was subjected to centrifugal loading followed by a thermal shock and analyzed with a thermo-elastic-plastic material model. The analytical results indicate that the stress-intensity factor changes less than 0.2 percent between a model with one crack and a model with four cracks evenly spaced around the circumference. Cleavage initiation is likely to be achieved for initial and coolant temperatures of 295 and 5°C, respectively.

Fracture Analysis of the Heat-Affected Zone in the NESC-1 Spinning Cylinder Experiment

1999 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Keeney
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Shock ◽  
Heat Affected Zone ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Plastic Material ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Aspect Ratios ◽  
Spinning Cylinder

This paper presents updated analyses of the cylinder specimen being used in the international Network for Evaluating Steel Components (NESC) large-scale spinning-cylinder project (NESC-1). The NESC was organized as an international forum to exchange information on procedures for structural integrity assessment, to collaborate on specific projects, and to promote the harmonization of international standards. The objective of the NESC-1 project is to focus on a complete procedure for assessing the structural integrity of aged reactor pressure vessels. A clad cylinder containing through-clad and subclad cracks will be tested under pressurized-thermal shock conditions at AEA Technology, Risley, U.K. Three-dimensional finite-element analyses were carried out to determine the effects of including the cladding heat-affected zone (HAZ) in the models. The cylinder was modeled with inner-surface through-clad cracks having a depth of 74 mm and aspect ratios of 2:1 and 6:1. The cylinder specimen was subjected to centrifugal loading followed by a thermal shock and analyzed with a thermoelastic-plastic material model. The peak KI values occurred at the clad/HAZ interface for the 6:1 crack and at the HAZ/base interface for the 2:1 crack. The analytical results indicate that cleavage initiation is likely to be achieved for the 6:1 crack, but questionable for the 2:1 crack.

Simplified Assessment of Studs Allowing for Low Constraint Conditions

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. James ◽  
C. Madew ◽  
M. Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Toughness ◽  
Finite Element ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Materials Testing ◽  
Screw Thread ◽  
Surface Point ◽  
Finite Element Analyses ◽  
Supporting Materials

Defect tolerance assessments are carried out to support the demonstration of structural integrity for high integrity components such as nuclear reactor pressure vessels. These assessments often consider surface-breaking defects and assess Stress Intensity Factors (SIFs) at both the surface and deepest points. This can be problematic when there is a high stress at the surface, for example due to the stress concentration at the root of a screw thread. In the past this has led to the development of complex and costly 3D finite element analyses to calculate more accurate SIFs, and still resulting in small apparent limiting defect sizes based on initiation at the surface point. Analysis has been carried out along with supporting materials testing, to demonstrate that the increased SIF at the surface point is offset by a reduction in crack-tip constraint, such that the material exhibits a higher apparent fracture toughness. This enables a more simplistic assessment which reduces the effective SIF at the surface such that only the SIF at the deepest point needs to be considered for many defects. This then leads to larger calculated limiting defect sizes. This in turn leads to a more robust demonstration of structural integrity, as the limiting defect sizes are consistent with the capability of non-destructive examination techniques. An overview of the supporting materials testing is provided in an accompanying paper. The accompanying paper details how it was not possible to demonstrate the required material response with conventional tests, such as those using shallow-notched bend specimens. Instead it was necessary to develop modified specimens in which semi-elliptical defects were introduced into a geometry which replicated the notch acuity at the root of a screw thread. These tests were used to quantify the stud materials sensitivity to constraint. Conventional three-point bend tests were also seen to confirm these values. A series of R6 constraint modified assessments have been considered to understand the benefit from including a loss of constraint, particularly when assessing the surface breaking SIF. This has necessitated a series of complex finite element analyses to define the elastic SIF as well as the elastic constraint parameter, T-Stress, T. Further verification analyses have also been performed to determine the equivalent elastic-plastic J and Q parameters. These have been used to provide guidance on how best to assess surface breaking defects within studs. This has shown that the increased perceived toughness at the surface location means that under the majority of conditions, the assessment can simply be based upon the SIF at the depth location using high constraint fracture toughness. This paper provides an overview of the process undertaken to provide simplified guidance on assessing defects within studs that allows benefit from constraint loss.

French RPV PTS Assessment: An Overview of EDF Research and Development in Progress on Thermalhydraulic, Materials and Mechanical Aspects

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique Moinereau ◽  
Jean-Michel Frund ◽  
Henriette Churier-Bossennec ◽  
Georges Bezdikian ◽  
Alain Martin
Keyword(s):  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Crack Arrest ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Short Description ◽  
Constraint Effect ◽  
Materials Properties ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Pressurized Thermal Shock ◽  
Reactor Pressure

A significant extensive Research & Development work is conducted by Electricite´ de France (EDF) related to the structural integrity re-assessment of the French 900 and 1300 MWe reactor pressure vessels in order to increase their lifetime. Within the framework of this programme, numerous developments have been implemented or are in progress related to the methodology to assess flaws during a pressurized thermal shock (PTS) event. The paper contains three aspects: a short description of the specific French approach for RPV PTS assessment, a presentation of recent improvements on thermalhydraulic, materials and mechanical aspects, and finally an overview of the present R&D programme on thermalhydraulic, materials and mechanical aspects. Regarding the last aspect on present R&D programme, several projects in progress will be shortly described. This overview includes the redefinition of some significant thermalhydraulic transients based on some new three-dimensional CFD computations (focused at the present time on small break LOCA transient), the assessment of vessel materials properties, and the improvement of the RPV PTS structural integrity assessment including several themes such as warm pre-stress (WPS), crack arrest, constraint effect ....

Elastic-Plastic Analysis of an Elbow With Axial Part-Through Internal Crack at Crown Under In-Plane Bending

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. M. Prabhakaran ◽  
S. R. Bhate ◽  
V. Bhasin ◽  
A. K. Ghosh
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Crack Depth ◽  
Bending Moment ◽  
Internal Crack ◽  
J Integral ◽  
Finite Element Analyses ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Elastic Plastic ◽  
Axial Part ◽  
Plane Bending

Piping elbows under bending moment are vulnerable to cracking at crown. The structural integrity assessment requires evaluation of J-integral. The J-integral values for elbows with axial part-through internal crack at crown under in-plane bending moment are limited in open literature. This paper presents the J-integral results of a thick and thin, 90-degree, long radius elbow subjected to in-plane opening bending moment based on number of finite element analyses covering different crack configurations. The non-linear elastic-plastic finite element analyses were performed using WARP3D software. Both geometrical and material nonlinearity were considered in the study. The geometry considered were for Rm/t = 5, and 12 with ratio of crack depth to wall thickness, a/t = 0.15, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 and ratio of crack length to crack depth, 2c/a = 6, 8, 10 and 12.

Integrity Assessment of a Free-Fall Lifeboat Launched From a FPSO

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guomin Ji ◽  
Nabila Berchiche ◽  
Sébastien Fouques ◽  
Thomas Sauder ◽  
Svein-Arne Reinholdtsen
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Pressure Distribution ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Dynamic Effect ◽  
Sensitivity Study ◽  
Computational Time ◽  
Load Factor ◽  
Time Varying ◽  
Integrity Assessment

The paper addresses the structural integrity assessment of lifeboat launched from floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. The study is based on long-term drop lifeboat simulations accounting for more than 50 years of hindcast data of metocean conditions and corresponding FPSO motions. Selection of the load cases and strength analyses with high computational time is a challenge. The load cases analyzed are those corresponding to the 99th percentile of long term distribution of indicators for large slamming loads (CARXZ) or large submergence (Imaxsub). For six selected cases, the time-varying pressure distribution on the lifeboat hull during and after water impact is calculated by CFD simulations using StarCCM+. The finite element model (FEM) of the composite structure of the lifeboat is modelled by ABAQUS. Quasi-static finite element (FE) analyses are performed for the selected load cases. The structural integrity is assessed by the maximum stress and Tsai-Wu failure measure. In the present study, the load and resistance factors are combined and applied to the response. A sensitivity study is performed to investigate the non-linear load/response effects when the load factor is applied to the load. In addition, dynamic analysis is performed with the time-varying pressure distribution for selected case and the dynamic effect is investigated.

Evaluation of Residual Stresses in Butt Welded Joint of Dissimilar Material by FEM

2017 ◽  
Vol 754 ◽  
pp. 268-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffaele Sepe ◽  
M. Laiso ◽  
A. de Luca ◽  
Francesco Caputo
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Residual Stresses ◽  
Arc Welding ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Welded Joint ◽  
Dissimilar Material ◽  
Fe Model ◽  
Butt Joints ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Steel Joints

The study proposed within this paper deals with an application of finite element techniques to the thermo-structural analysis of a dissimilar butt-welded joint. Residual stresses induced by the fusion arc-welding of steel joints in power generation plants are a concern to the industry. Nowadays, the application of finite element method appears to be a very efficient method for the prediction and the investigation of the weld-induced residual stresses, nevertheless the detailed modelling of all phenomena involved in such process is still challenging. The structural integrity assessment of welded structures strongly requires a deep investigation of weld-induced residual stresses in order to be compliant with safety requirement of power plant. The longitudinal and transversal residual stresses in dissimilar material butt joints of 8 mm thick for V-groove shape were studied. The developed thermo-mechanical FE model as well as the simulation procedures are detailed and results are discussed. As a result of such work, it has been found out that residual stresses in the two dissimilar plates are characterized by very different magnitudes and distribution.

ORNL Evaluation of Safety Cases for Two Belgian Reactor Pressure Vessels Containing Quasi-Laminar Defects

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilda B. Klasky ◽  
B. Richard Bass ◽  
Terry L. Dickson ◽  
Sarma B. Gorti ◽  
Randy K. Nanstad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Finite Element ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Oak Ridge ◽  
Safety Margins ◽  
Safety Cases ◽  
Reactor Pressure

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) performed a detailed technical review of the 2015 Electrabel (EBL) Safety Cases prepared for the Belgium reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) at Doel 3 and Tihange 2 (D3/T2). The Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) in Belgium commissioned ORNL to provide a thorough assessment of the existing safety margins against cracking of the RPVs due to the presence of almost laminar flaws found in each RPV. Initial efforts focused on surveying relevant literature that provided necessary background knowledge on the issues related to the quasi-laminar flaws observed in D3/T2 reactors. Next, ORNL proceeded to develop an independent quantitative assessment of the entire flaw population in the two Belgian reactors according to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section XI, Appendix G, “Fracture Toughness Criteria for Protection Against Failure,” New York (both 1992 and 2004 versions). That screening assessment of the EBL-characterized flaws in D3/T2 used ORNL tools, methodologies, and the ASME Code Case N-848, “Alternative Characterization Rules for Quasi-Laminar Flaws”. Results and conclusions derived from comparisons of the ORNL flaw acceptance assessments of D3/T2 with those from the 2015 EBL Safety Cases are presented in the paper. The ORNL screening analyses identified fewer flaws than EBL that were not compliant with the ASME Section XI (1992) criterion; the EBL criterion imposed additional conservatisms not included in ASME Section XI. Furthermore, ORNL’s application of the updated ASME Section XI (2004) criterion produced only four non-compliant flaws, all due to design-basis loss-of-coolant loading transients. Among the latter, only one flaw remained non-compliant when analyzed using the warm-prestress (WPS) cleavage fracture model typically applied in USA flaw assessments. ORNL’s independent refined analysis of that flaw (#1660, which was also non-compliant in the EBL screening assessments) rendered it compliant when modeled as a more realistic individual quasi-laminar flaw using a 3-dimensional XFEM (eXtended Finite Element Method) approach available in the ABAQUS© finite element code. Taken as a whole, the ORNL-specific results and conclusions confirmed the structural integrity of Doel 3 and Tihange 2 under all design transients with ample margin in the presence of the 16,196 detected flaws.

Probabilistic Structural Integrity Analysis of Reactor Pressure Vessels During Pressurized Thermal Shock Events

2013 ◽  
Vol 136 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Koichi Masaki ◽  
Jinya Katsuyama ◽  
Kunio Onizawa
Keyword(s):  
Crack Initiation ◽  
Thermal Shock ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Fracture Probability ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Conditional Probabilities ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Pressurized Thermal Shock ◽  
Reactor Pressure

To apply a probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis to the structural integrity assessment of a reactor pressure vessel (RPV), a PFM analysis code has been developed at JAEA. Using this PFM analysis code, pascal version 3, the conditional probabilities of crack initiation (CPIs) and fracture for an RPV during pressurized thermal shock (PTS) events have been analyzed. Sensitivity analyses on certain input parameters were performed to clarify their effect on the conditional fracture probability. Comparisons between the conditional probabilities and the temperature margin (ΔTm) based on the current deterministic analysis method were made for various model plant conditions for typical domestic older types of RPVs. From the analyses, a good correlation between ΔTm and the conditional probability of crack initiation was obtained.

Integrity Assessment of Pressure Components With Local Hot Spots

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Seshadri
Keyword(s):  
Hot Spots ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Refractory Lining ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Pressure Vessels ◽  
Industrial Processes ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Piping Systems ◽  
Further Development ◽  
Level 2

Local hot spots can occur in some pressure vessels and piping systems used in industrial processes. The hot spots could be a result of, for instance, localized loss of refractory lining on the inside of pressure components or due to a maldistribution of process flow within vessels containing catalysts. The consequences of these hot spots on the structural integrity of pressure components are of considerable importance to plant operators. The paper addresses structural integrity issues in the context of codes and standards design framework. Interaction of hot spots, as is the case when multiple hot spots occur, is addressed. An assessment method, suitable for further development of a Level 2 “Fitness-for-Service” methodology, is discussed and applied to a commonly used pressure component configuration.

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