Stress-intensity-factor influence coefficients for axial and circumferential flaws in reactor pressure vessels
Weight-function techniques in linear elastic fracture mechanics utilize stress-intensity-factor influence coefficients K* and superposition principles to compute stress intensity factors. This paper presents influence coefficients for two flaw geometries often employed in fracture analyses of reactor pressure vessels: (1) infinitely long, axial, inside-surface flaws and (2) 360{degrees}, circumferential, inside-surface flaws. Calculations were performed using ABAQUS, a nuclear quality assurance (NQA-1) certified finite-element program which employs a highly accurate crack extension technique for the computation of theJ-integral. Influence coefficients are computed for flaw depths in the range 0.01 {le} a/T {le} 0.9 with particular emphasis on shallow flaws (a/T {le} 0. 1). This study addresses vessels having R/T = 10 which is appropriate for most PWRs in USA. The influence coefficients have been implemented in the FAVOR fracture-mechanics code currently being developed under the NRC-funded HSST Program at ORNL.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 10127495
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-930702--4; ON: DE93006206
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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