Evaluation of flaws in carbon steel piping. Final report
The objective of this program was to develop flaw evaluation procedures and allowable flaw sizes for ferritic piping used in light water reactor (LWR) power generation facilities. The program results provide relevant ASME Code groups with the information necessary to define flaw evaluation procedures, allowable flaw sizes, and their associated bases for Section XI of the code. Because there are several possible flaw-related failure modes for ferritic piping over the LWR operating temperature range, three analysis methods were employed to develop the evaluation procedures. These include limit load analysis for plastic collapse, elastic plastic fracture mechanics (EPFM) analysis for ductile tearing, and linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) analysis for non ductile crack extension. To ensure the appropriate analysis method is used in an evaluation, a step by step procedure also is provided to identify the relevant acceptance standard or procedure on a case by case basis. The tensile strength and toughness properties required to complete the flaw evaluation for any of the three analysis methods are included in the evaluation procedure. The flaw evaluation standards are provided in tabular form for the plastic collapse and ductile tearing modes, where the allowable part through flaw depth is defined as a function of load and flaw length. For non ductile crack extension, linear elastic fracture mechanics analysis methods, similar to those in Appendix A of Section XI, are defined. Evaluation flaw sizes and procedures are developed for both longitudinal and circumferential flaw orientations and normal/upset and emergency/faulted operating conditions. The tables are based on margins on load of 2.77 and 1.39 for circumferential flaws and 3.0 and 1.5 for longitudinal flaws for normal/upset and emergency/faulted conditions, respectively.
- Research Organization:
- NOVETECH Corp., Rockville, MD (USA); General Electric Co., San Jose, CA (USA). Nuclear Energy Business Operations
- OSTI ID:
- 5090704
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-NP-4824-M; ON: TI87920092
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BWR TYPE REACTORS
PIPES
REACTOR MATERIALS
CARBON STEELS
FERRITIC STEELS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
CRACK PROPAGATION
CRACKS
DEFECTS
EVALUATION
FRACTURE MECHANICS
ALLOYS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MATERIALS
MECHANICS
REACTORS
STEELS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
210100* - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
210200 - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
360103 - Metals & Alloys- Mechanical Properties