Crack initiation in smooth fatigue specimens of austenitic stainless steel in light water reactor environments.

Conference · Thu Apr 08 04:00:00 EDT 1999

OSTI ID:12388

Chopra, O K; Smith, J L

The fatigue design curves for structural materials specified in Section III of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code are based on tests of smooth polished specimens at room temperature in air. The effects of light water reactor (LWR) coolant environments are not explicitly addressed by the Code design curves; however, recent test data illustrate the detrimental effects of LWR coolant environments on the fatigue resistance of austenitic stainless steels (SSs). Certain loading and environmental conditions have led to test specimen fatigue lives that are significantly shorter than those obtained in air. Results of fatigue tests that examine the influence of reactor environments on crack initiation and crack growth of austenitic SSs are presented. Block loading was used to mark the fracture surface to determine crack length as a function of fatigue cycles in water environments, Crack lengths were measured by scanning electron microscopy. The mechanism for decreased fatigue life in LWR environments is discussed, and crack growth rates in the smooth fatigue specimens are compared with existing data from studies of crack growth rates.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 12388
• Report Number(s): ANL/ET/CP-98400
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BOILERS
BUILDING MATERIALS
COOLANTS
CRACK PROPAGATION
DESIGN
FRACTURES
PRESSURE VESSELS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
STAINLESS STEELS
WATER