Towards an elastic-plastic fracture mechanics predictive capability for reactor piping

• Published in: Nuclear engineering and design 1978-01, Vol.48 (1), p.117-134
• Main Authors: Kanninen, M.F., Broek, D., Hahn, G.T., Marschall, C.W., Rybicki, E.F., Wilkowski, G.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0029-5493; 1872-759X
• DOI: 10.1016/0029-5493(78)90212-1

Intergranular stress corrosion cracks have been discovered in the recirculation bypass piping and core spray lines of several boiling water reactor (BWR) plants. These cracks initiate in heat-affected zones of girth welds and grow circumferentially by combined stress corrosion and fatigue. Reactor piping is mainly type 304 stainless steel, a material which exhibits high ductility and toughness. A test program described in this paper demonstrates that catastrophic crack growth in these materials is preceded by considerable amounts of stable crack growth accompanied by large plastic deformation. Thus, conventional linear elastic fracture mechanics, which only applies to the initiation of crack growth in materials behaving in a predominantly linear elastic fashion, is inadequate for a failure analysis of reactor piping. This paper is based upon research initiated by a need to develop a realistic failure prediction and a way to delineate leak-before-break conditions for reactor piping. An effective engineering solution for the type of cracks that have been discovered in BWR plants was first developed. This was based upon a simple net section flow stress criterion. Subsequent work to develop an elastic-plastic fracture mechanics methodology has also been pursued. A survey of progress being made is described in this paper. This work is based on the use of finite element models together with experimental results to identify criteria appropriate for the onset of crack extension and for stable crack growth. A number of criteria have been evaluated. However, the optimum fracture criterion has not yet been determined, even for conditions which do not include all of the complications involved in reactor piping.