Methods for incorporating the effects of LWR coolant environments in pressure vessel and piping fatigue evaluations.

Conference · Wed Jul 31 04:00:00 EDT 2002

OSTI ID:799820

Chopra, O K; Shack, W J

This paper summarizes the work performed at Argonne National Laboratory on the fatigue of piping and pressure vessel steels in the coolant environments of light water reactors. The existing fatigue strain vs. life ({var_epsilon}-N) data were evaluated to establish the effects of various material and loading variables, such as steel type, strain range, strain rate, temperature, and dissolved-oxygen level in water, on the fatigue lives of these steels. Statistical models are presented for estimating the fatigue {var_epsilon}-N curves for carbon and low-alloy steels and austenitic stainless steels as a function of material, loading, and environment variables. Case studies of fatigue failures in nuclear power plants are presented, and the contribution of environmental effects to crack initiation is discussed. Methods for incorporating environmental effects into the ASME Code fatigue evaluations are discussed. Data available in the literature have been reviewed to evaluate the possible conservatism in the existing fatigue design curves of the ASME Code.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 799820
• Report Number(s): ANL/ET/CP-108338
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
COOLANTS
DISSOLVED GASES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PRESSURE VESSELS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
STAINLESS STEELS
STATISTICAL MODELS
STRAIN RATE