An engineering fracture mechanics analysis of the Pilgrim 1 nozzle-to-pressure vessel weld discontinuities. Technical report

Technical Report · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1975

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7247040· OSTI ID:7247040

Besuner, P M

The influence function (IF) method of calculation of stress intensity factor is applied to the case of a semicircular surface crack, of radius a, used to model a discontinuity revealed by in-service inspection of a nozzle-to-shell weld in the Pilgrim I pressure vessel. The calculations obtained for two complex thermal stress distributions and a combined stress distribution encountered in the nozzle weld, are compared with previous calculations based upon the 'Evaluation of Flaw Indications' method described in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. It is shown that a substantial difference exists between the values calculated by the Code method and the IF method, except, coincidentally, in the vicinity of the specific flaw size (a /sup +/ 0.9 in.) revealed by inspection of the Pilgrim vessel. For crack sizes substantially greater than 1.0 in., values calculated by the Code method are significantly larger than those calculated by the IF method. The IF method has the potential to improve and affect the conclusions of future analyses of structures with imperfections. (GRA)

• Research Organization: Failure Analysis Associates, Palo Alto, Calif. (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7247040
• Report Number(s): PB-247518; FAA-75-4-7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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BWR TYPE REACTORS
CONTAINERS
CRACKS
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
JOINTS
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PILGRIM-1 REACTOR
POWER REACTORS
PRESSURE VESSELS
REACTORS
STRESS ANALYSIS
THERMAL REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
WELDED JOINTS