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U.S. Department of Energy
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Weld residual-stress redistribution near growing cracks. Final report. [BWR]

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6461639

A numerical analysis representing Intergranular Stress Corrosion Cracking (IGSCC) in a residual-stress field of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of a girth-butt weld is presented. A complete, preexisting circumferential crack, growing radially outward in a 10-cm (4-in.) schedule 80 recirculation line, is modeled using the elastic properties of boiling water reactor (BWR) Type 304 stainless steel. An equilibrium solution for an uncracked pipe's residual stress field is applied as an initial condition; subsequent stresses are calculated incrementally, as the crack slowly propagates through the isothermal pipe wall. Results from these elastic calculations show that the axial extent of the initial residual stress field has little influence on the stress intensification and crack arrest for extents greater than three pipe wall thicknesses. Consequently, the current linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) methods with residual stresses produce accurate stress intensity factors for the boundary conditions studied here.

Research Organization:
Science Applications, Inc., San Leandro, CA (USA); Science Applications, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
OSTI ID:
6461639
Report Number(s):
EPRI-NP-2964; ON: DE83901986
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English