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Title: Mechanism and estimation of fatigue crack initiation in austenitic stainless steels in LWR environments.

Abstract

The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code provides rules for the construction of nuclear power plant components. Figures I-9.1 through I-9.6 of Appendix I to Section III of the Code specify fatigue design curves for structural materials. However, the effects of light water reactor (LWR) coolant environments are not explicitly addressed by the Code design curves. Existing fatigue strain-vs.-life ({var_epsilon}-N) data illustrate potentially significant effects of LWR coolant environments on the fatigue resistance of pressure vessel and piping steels. This report provides an overview of fatigue crack initiation in austenitic stainless steels in LWR coolant environments. The existing fatigue {var_epsilon}-N data have been evaluated to establish the effects of key material, loading, and environmental parameters (such as steel type, strain range, strain rate, temperature, dissolved-oxygen level in water, and flow rate) on the fatigue lives of these steels. Statistical models are presented for estimating the fatigue {var_epsilon}-N curves for austenitic stainless steels as a function of the material, loading, and environmental parameters. Two methods for incorporating environmental effects into the ASME Code fatigue evaluations are presented. The influence of reactor environments on the mechanism of fatigue crack initiation in these steels is also discussed.

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USNRC
OSTI Identifier:
925035
Report Number(s):
ANL-01/25
TRN: US0803032
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC02-06CH11357
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; BOILERS; BUILDING MATERIALS; CONSTRUCTION; COOLANTS; DESIGN; DISSOLVED GASES; ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS; FLOW RATE; NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS; OXYGEN; PRESSURE VESSELS; STAINLESS STEELS; STATISTICAL MODELS; STEELS; STRAIN RATE; STRAINS; WATER

Citation Formats

Chopra, O K, and Energy Technology. Mechanism and estimation of fatigue crack initiation in austenitic stainless steels in LWR environments.. United States: N. p., 2002. Web. doi:10.2172/925035.
Chopra, O K, & Energy Technology. Mechanism and estimation of fatigue crack initiation in austenitic stainless steels in LWR environments.. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/925035
Chopra, O K, and Energy Technology. 2002. "Mechanism and estimation of fatigue crack initiation in austenitic stainless steels in LWR environments.". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/925035. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/925035.
@article{osti_925035,
title = {Mechanism and estimation of fatigue crack initiation in austenitic stainless steels in LWR environments.},
author = {Chopra, O K and Energy Technology},
abstractNote = {The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code provides rules for the construction of nuclear power plant components. Figures I-9.1 through I-9.6 of Appendix I to Section III of the Code specify fatigue design curves for structural materials. However, the effects of light water reactor (LWR) coolant environments are not explicitly addressed by the Code design curves. Existing fatigue strain-vs.-life ({var_epsilon}-N) data illustrate potentially significant effects of LWR coolant environments on the fatigue resistance of pressure vessel and piping steels. This report provides an overview of fatigue crack initiation in austenitic stainless steels in LWR coolant environments. The existing fatigue {var_epsilon}-N data have been evaluated to establish the effects of key material, loading, and environmental parameters (such as steel type, strain range, strain rate, temperature, dissolved-oxygen level in water, and flow rate) on the fatigue lives of these steels. Statistical models are presented for estimating the fatigue {var_epsilon}-N curves for austenitic stainless steels as a function of the material, loading, and environmental parameters. Two methods for incorporating environmental effects into the ASME Code fatigue evaluations are presented. The influence of reactor environments on the mechanism of fatigue crack initiation in these steels is also discussed.},
doi = {10.2172/925035},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/925035}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2002},
month = {Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2002}
}