Advances in crack-arrest technology for reactor pressure vessels

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6711564

Bass, B R; Pugh, C E

The Heavy-Section Steel Technology (HSST) Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) under the sponsorship of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission is continuing to improve the understanding of conditions that govern the initiation, rapid propagation, arrest, and ductile tearing of cracks in reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels. This paper describes recent advances in a coordinated effort being conducted under the HSST Program by ORNL and several subcontracting groups to develop the crack-arrest data base and the analytical tools required to construct inelastic dynamic fracture models for RPV steels. Large-scale tests are being carried out to generate crack-arrest toughness data at temperatures approaching and above the onset of Charpy upper-shelf behavior. Small- and intermediate-size specimens subjected to static and dynamic loading are being developed and tested to provide additional fracture data for RPV steels. Viscoplastic effects are being included in dynamic fracture models and computer programs and their utility validated through analyses of data from carefully controlled experiments. Recent studies are described that examine convergence problems associated with energy-based fracture parameters in viscoplastic-dynamic fracture applications. Alternative techniques that have potential for achieving convergent solutions for fracture parameters in the context of viscoplastic-dynamic models are discussed. 46 refs., 15 figs., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6711564
• Report Number(s): CONF-8810155-14; ON: DE89003115
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360103 -- Metals & Alloys-- Mechanical Properties
360106 -- Metals & Alloys-- Radiation Effects
A CODES
ALLOYS
COMPUTER CODES
CONTAINERS
COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS
CRACK PROPAGATION
CRACKS
DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
FRACTURE MECHANICS
INFORMATION
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
NUMERICAL DATA
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
POWER PLANTS
PRESSURE VESSELS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTOR SAFETY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SAFETY
STEELS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
V CODES