Fatigue of weldments in nuclear pressure vessels and piping

Technical Report · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5492062· OSTI ID:5492062

Booker, M K; Booker, B L.P.; Meieran, H B; Heuschkel, J

Current (ASME) Code fatigue design rules for nuclear pressure vessels and piping include no special considerations for weldments other than purely geometric factors. Research programs aimed at nonnuclear applications have found weldments to display fatigue behavior inferior to that of pure base material. Available information on fatigue of weldments relevant to nuclear pressure vessels and piping was reviewed and determined changes in the current design rules appear to be dictated by the available information. Information was obtained and summarized and stored in a computerized data management system to facilitate correlation of facts and development of conclusions. Significant areas where development of additional data would substantially increase the ability to judge the adequacy of the current ASME design rules include: a better understanding of the relative importance of crack initiation and crack propagation to fatigue life; additional fatigue data for prototypic commercial weldments, including cumulative damage; properties of repair welds; significance of reheat cracks; quantitative effect of Code-allowable weld defects; and the effect of variable microstructure across the weld joint. Based on the information that is available, there is no evidence that the ASME Code fatigue design procedures need to be changed at this time. The current ASME design procedures, which form the general basis for fatigue evaluation both in the US and abroad are reviewed. Included is a review of various factors that influence the fatigue of weldments and of service experience with nuclear systems regarding fatigue of weldments. Research programs that may contribute to available information are reviewed.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5492062
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-1351; ORNL/NUREG-64
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360103* -- Metals & Alloys-- Mechanical Properties
ALLOYS
CARBON STEELS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CHROMIUM STEELS
CHROMIUM-NICKEL STEELS
CONTAINERS
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
FATIGUE
HEAT RESISTANT MATERIALS
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
JOINTS
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
NICKEL ALLOYS
PIPELINES
PRESSURE VESSELS
STAINLESS STEEL-304
STAINLESS STEELS
STEEL-ASTM-A508
STEEL-ASTM-A516
STEEL-ASTM-A533-B
STEELS
WELDED JOINTS