Experimental Investigation of Net-Section-Collapse Criterion for Circumferentially Cracked Cylinders Subjected to Torsional Moment

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoki Miura ◽  
Katsuaki Hoshino ◽  
Yinsheng Li ◽  
Kunio Hasegawa

When a crack-like-flaw is detected in piping during in-service inspection, the limit load criterion given in the codes such as JSME Rules on Fitness-for-Service for Nuclear Power Plants or ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section XI can be applied to evaluate the structural integrity of the piping. However, in-service piping is generally subjected to combined tensile, bending, and torsional loading, and a methodology to evaluate the limit moment for torsion has not yet been established because of inadequate experimental validation. In this study, fracture tests were conducted for circumferentially cracked cylinders subjected to torsional moment. The experimental maximum moments were compared with the limit moments, which were evaluated on the basis of the net-section-collapse criterion for torsional moment. The maximum moments can be conservatively predicted by the net-section-collapse criterion.

Author(s):  
Naoki Miura ◽  
Katsuaki Hoshino ◽  
Yinsheng Li ◽  
Kunio Hasegawa

When a flaw is detected in piping during in-service inspection, the limit load criterion given in the codes such as JSME Rules on Fitness-for-Service for Nuclear Power Plants or ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section XI can be applied to evaluate the structural integrity of the piping. Actual piping is generally subjected to combined tensile, bending, and torsional loading, however, a methodology to evaluate limit moment for torsion is not established due to the inadequacy of experimental validation. In this study, fracture tests for circumferentially cracked cylinders subjected to torsional moment were conducted. Experimental maximum moments were compared with the limit moments, which were evaluated based on the concept of the net-section-collapse criterion for torsional moment. The maximum moments could be conservatively predicted by the net-section-collapse criterion. In addition, innovative tests subjected to torsional moments were conducted using a pair of Charpy V-notch specimens and a conventional test machine. The applicability of the net-section-collapse criterion for torsional moment was experimentally validated. The adequacy of the replacement of cracks with machined notches for ductile materials under torsional loading was also investigated through the comparison of the fracture behavior obtained from notched and precracked Charpy specimens. The developed method could be an alternative test method for torsional moment.


Author(s):  
Yinsheng Li ◽  
Kunio Hasegawa ◽  
Michiya Sakai ◽  
Shinichi Matsuura ◽  
Naoki Miura

When a crack is detected in a nuclear piping system during in-service inspections, the failure estimation method provided in codes such as the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section XI or JSME Rules on Fitness-for-Service for Nuclear Power Plants can be applied to evaluate the structural integrity of the cracked pipe. In the current codes, the failure estimation method for circumferentially cracked pipes includes bending moment and axial force due to pressure. Torsion moment is not considered. The Working Group on Pipe Flaw Evaluation for the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section XI is developing guidance for combining torsion load within the existing solutions provided in Appendix C for bending and pressure loadings on a pipe. A failure estimation method for circumferentially cracked pipes subjected to general loading conditions including bending moment, internal pressure and torsion moment with general magnitude has been proposed based on analytical investigations on the limit load for cracked pipes. In this study, experimental investigation was conducted to confirm the applicability of the proposed failure estimation method. Experiments were carried out on 8-inch diameter Schedule 80 stainless steel pipes containing a circumferential surface crack. Based on the experimental results, the proposed failure estimation method was confirmed to be applicable to cracked pipes subjected to combined bending and torsion moments.


2014 ◽  
Vol 137 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinsheng Li ◽  
Kunio Hasegawa ◽  
Michiya Sakai ◽  
Shinichi Matsuura ◽  
Naoki Miura

When a crack is detected in a nuclear piping system during in-service inspections, failure estimation method provided in codes such as ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section XI or JSME Rules on Fitness-for-Service for Nuclear Power Plants can be applied to evaluate the structural integrity of the cracked pipe. In the current codes, the failure estimation method for circumferentially cracked pipes is applicable for both bending moment and axial force due to pressure. Torsion moment is not considered. Recently, two failure estimation methods for circumferentially cracked pipes subjected to combined bending and torsion moments were proposed based on analytical investigations on the limit load for cracked pipes. In this study, experimental investigation was conducted to confirm the applicability of the failure estimation method for cracked pipes subjected to bending and torsion moments. Experiments were carried out on 8-in. diameter Schedule 80 stainless steel pipes containing a circumferential surface crack. Based on the experimental results, the proposed failure estimation methods were confirmed to be applicable to cracked pipes subjected to combined bending and torsion moments.


Author(s):  
Sun-Hye Kim ◽  
Yoon-Suk Chang ◽  
Young-Jin Kim

Lots of investigations on failures of wall thinned piping have been carried out since the accident of Surry unit 2 in USA. From these preceding efforts, flow accelerated corrosion (FAC) which is a kind of wall thinning phenomenon is revealed main factor of failure of pipes in nuclear power plants. However, there are a few researches which directly take into account of flow characteristics and geometric changes for stress assessment of FAC-caused wall thinned piping. In this paper, structural integrity assessment employing a fluid-structure interaction (FSI) analysis scheme is performed on pipes representing secondary piping system of PWR which consists of straight pipes and elbows of various bend angles. Prior to the assessment, CFD analyses are conducted to predict plausible wall thinning location by considering flow and geometric parameters such as bend angle and radius of elbow. Then, for typical pipe geometry, detailed limit load analyses are performed to calculate maximum stress caused by turbulence and velocity of flow near the wall thinned part. Through these kinds of detailed parametric analyses, effects of FSI were observed, which should be considered for assessment of FAC-caused wall thinned piping.


Author(s):  
Keshab K. Dwivedy

Certain process piping in nuclear and non-nuclear power plants undergo pipe wall thinning due to flow assisted corrosion (FAC). This localized mechanism of corrosion combined with erosion is complex. The potential degradation of the pipe wall depends upon the water chemistry, operating temperature and pressure, flow velocity, piping material and piping configuration. The management of FAC in a power plant is performed in the following basic steps: Identification of potential locations, UT inspection of locations and characterization of pipe wall thinning, and evaluation of wall thinning to establish structural integrity and/or repair/replacement. The section of the pipe is repaired or replaced if the structural integrity cannot be established until next scheduled inspection. In the past 15 years, FAC programs have been established in nuclear power plants. Structural integrity evaluation is a part of the program. Simplified methods and rules are established in ASME Section XI code and in several code cases for verifying structural integrity. Pressure design methods are formalized for uniform and non-uniform wall thinning. However, the limit analysis methods for moment loading in the code rules are formulated for uniform thinning of the wall for simplicity. FAC related wall thinning is truly non-uniform, and treating it as non-uniform in the analysis can show additional structural margin compared to analysis conservatively assuming a uniformly thinned wall. This paper has developed simple analytical formulation of limit load carrying capability of a pipe section with non-uniform thinning. The method of analysis is illustrated with examples of actual plant situations. The formulation developed here can be used with the ASME code method to extend remaining life of FAC degraded components until the plant can plan for repair or replacement. Thus the analytical tool can help the plant owners to save resources by performing repair and replacement in a planned manner.


Author(s):  
Masao Itatani ◽  
Yasushi Kanazawa ◽  
Norihiko Tanaka ◽  
Chikashi Shitara ◽  
Yusuke Nakagawa

A fracture assessment method for piping of BWR reactor internals with a circumferential crack is described in the JSME Code, Rules on Fitness-for-Service for Nuclear Power Plants 2004 Edition. According to this code, limit load is calculated assuming a/t = 1 for through wall crack. It has been desired to demonstrate the adequacy of this equation experimentally. Furthermore, the crack path in weld HAZ between a header and a piping is not straight and has some curvature. It is important to assure the applicability of fracture assessment method to such a case. The fracture tests were conducted for pipes with a circumferential through wall crack between header and pipe to demonstrate the applicability of the current JSME method. Limit load analyses by FEM were also conducted. It was confirmed that the limit load equation in the current JSME Code is possible to apply to the pipe with a circumferential through wall crack even if the crack path was curved along the weld line between header and sparger pipe. In the JSME FFS Code, limit load analysis is required for piping of reactor internals. On the other hand, elastic-plastic fracture mechanics using Z-factor is required for class 1 piping. The present results show that it is enough to assume Z = 1 for the fracture assessment of weldment in austenitic steel piping with medium diameter.


Author(s):  
Changyu Zhou ◽  
Bo Wang ◽  
Zhigang Sun ◽  
Jilin Xue ◽  
Xiaohua He

High temperature pressure pipes are widely used in power stations, nuclear power plants, and petroleum refinery, which always bear combined effects of high temperature, high pressure, and corrosive media, so the local pits are the most common volume defects in pressure pipe. Due to various reasons, the defects usually appear on the internal or external wall of pipe. In this paper, the dimensions of a defect were characterized as three dimensionless factors: relative depth, relative gradient and relative length. The main objects of study were the pipe with an internal pit and pipe with an external pit. Orthogonal array testing of three factors at four different levels was applied to analyze the sequence of the influence of three parameters. In present study, when the maximum principal strain nearby the location of the defects reaches 2%, the corresponding load is defined as the limit load, which is classified as two kinds of load type: limit pressure and limit bending moment. According to this strain criterion and isochronous stress strain data of P91 steel, the limit load of high temperature pipe with a local pit was determined by using ABAQUS. And in the same load condition of the pipe with the same dimensionless factors, the limit load of the internal defected pipe was compared with that of the external defected pipe. The results of this study can provide a reference for safety assessment and structural integrity analysis of high temperature creep pressure pipe with pit defects.


Author(s):  
Phuong H. Hoang

Non-planar flaw such as local wall thinning flaw is a major piping degradation in nuclear power plants. Hundreds of piping components are inspected and evaluated for pipe wall loss due to flow accelerated corrosion and microbiological corrosion during a typical scheduled refueling outage. The evaluation is typically based on the original code rules for design and construction, and so often that uniformly thin pipe cross section is conservatively assumed. Code Case N-597-2 of ASME B&PV, Section XI Code provides a simplified methodology for local pipe wall thinning evaluation to meet the construction Code requirements for pressure and moment loading. However, it is desirable to develop a methodology for evaluating non-planar flaws that consistent with the Section XI flaw evaluation methodology for operating plants. From the results of recent studies and experimental data, it is reasonable to suggest that the Section XI, Appendix C net section collapse load approach can be used for non-planar flaws in carbon steel piping with an appropriate load multiplier factor. Local strain at non-planar flaws in carbon steel piping may reach a strain instability prior to net section collapse. As load increase, necking starting at onset strain instability leads to crack initiation, coalescence and fracture. Thus, by limiting local strain to material onset strain instability, a load multiplier factor can be developed for evaluating non-planar flaws in carbon steel piping using limit load methodology. In this paper, onset strain instability, which is material strain at the ultimate stress from available tensile test data, is correlated with the material minimum specified elongation for developing a load factor of non-planar flaws in various carbon steel piping subjected to multiaxial loading.


2005 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 1988-1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
June-soo Park ◽  
Ha-cheol Song ◽  
Ki-seok Yoon ◽  
Taek-sang Choi ◽  
Jai-hak Park

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