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Title: Proton-induced Relaxation of Surface Stresses Resulting from Peening of Welds in Annealed 304 Stainless Steels

Conference ·
OSTI ID:860061

The irradiation induced stress relaxation of peened surfaces in 304 stainless steel was simulated using 3.2 MeV protons. The specimens employed were annealed 304 bars that had been shot-peened to produce a compressive layer on the surface. Irradiation proceeded at 288 C to four dose levels in the range 0.1-2.0 dpa, which almost covers the range experienced by a BWR shroud over a 40 year lifetime. One set of specimens was as-peened and a second set were pre-injected with 25 appm He to assess the potential of bubble-induced acceleration of irradiation creep. Another set of specimens were thermally annealed only. Both surface and depth-dependent measurements of the internal stress were conducted using an X-ray stress analyzer. Electron microscopy was then used to study the microstructural evolution as a function of depth. The results indicated that the compressive stress state was progressively relaxed during irradiation. However, the compressive stress was maintained over the 2 dpa lifetime with no indication of a possible reversal of stress state at the surface. Helium addition did not significantly affect the relaxation and no significant bubble formation was observed.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
860061
Report Number(s):
PNWD-SA-6042; TRN: US200523%%190
Resource Relation:
Conference: 11th International Conference on Environmental Degradation of Materials in Nuclear Power Systems-Water Reactors, 121; American Nuclear Society,La Grange Park,,United States.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English