Sensitivity Analyses of Finite Element Method for Computing Residual Stress of Dissimilar Metal Multi-Pass Weld

Author(s):  
YaoLong Tsai ◽  
ChaoJen Li ◽  
TaiPing Tsai ◽  
Li-Hua Wang ◽  
TeWei Fan ◽  
...  

Recently the stress corrosion cracking cases of dissimilar metal welds are found in many nuclear power plants. Weld-induced residual stress is main factor for crack growth. Therefore exact estimation of residual stress is important for reliable operation. This paper presents residual stress computation performed by EU mock-up Nozzle. Based on ANSYS software, uncoupled thermal-mechanical three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional ax symmetric finite element models are developed. Based on 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional finite element analyses, effect of the welding sequence approaches for multi-pass weld such as lump, layer and ring etc. on residual stress variation is estimated for sensitivity analysis.

Author(s):  
Mingya Chen ◽  
Weiwei Yu ◽  
Fei Xue ◽  
Francis Ku ◽  
Zhilin Chen ◽  
...  

The objective of this study is to correct installation non-conformance of a surge line using the excavation and re-weld method which is widely used in nuclear power plants. The surge line with a backslope was not at the required design level after initial installation. In order to solve the problem, a repairing technology is shown as follows: the weld was successively excavated and welded again while the surge line slope was corrected with the help of jacks. Because many of the degradation mechanisms relevant to power plant components can be accelerated by the presence of welding residual stresses (WRS), the WRS caused by the repairing process need to be studied. In this paper, the WRS simulation technique employed in this project is sophisticated. It utilizes a 3-D finite element (FE) model, and simulates the weld sequencing and excavation. Moreover, the WRS simulation performed in this project not only uses the un-axisymmetric model, but also considers the deformation caused by the external jacking loads. The results show that the repairing process is effective, and strain damage induced by the welding repair is also acceptable.


Author(s):  
F. W. Brust ◽  
E. Punch ◽  
E. Kurth

PWR nuclear power plants have dissimilar metal (DM) welds at many junctions between the vessels and the piping. The DM welds are made with Alloy 82 filler materials between carbon steel and stainless steel. These are potentially susceptible to Primary Water Stress Corrosion Cracking (PWSCC). PWSCC is mainly driven by the tensile weld residual stresses (WRS) that develop during fabrication of the piping system. In particular, weld repairs that often occur during the weld fabrication process also play a strong role in the development of the weld residual stress state in and near the DM welds. Most weld residual stress analyses performed to date in order to characterize the weld residual stress state in DM welds for PWSCC crack growth, leakage, and subsequent failure used axis-symmetric assessments. The purpose of this work is to provide direct assessment of the appropriateness of this axis-symmetric assumption on the WRS by comparison with full three dimensional analyses of several nozzles. In particular, weld start stop effects on the original weld will be assessed. In addition, the effect of partial arc weld repairs will be included. Repair cases considered include 15% and 50% deep repairs of length 48-degree and 96-degree of the circumference, along with the baseline case with no repair. The more complex three dimensional WRS state from the three dimensional analyses are compared to the corresponding axis-symmetric solutions and guidelines regarding the appropriateness of 2D solutions are discussed. Finally, some limited calculations of stress intensity factors at locations along the repair are presented.


Author(s):  
Dean Deng ◽  
Kazuo Ogawa ◽  
Nobuyoshi Yanagida ◽  
Koichi Saito

Recent discoveries of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) at nickel-based metals in pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and boiling water reactors (BWRs) have raised concerns about safety and integrity of plant components. It has been recognized that welding residual stress is an important factor causing the issue of SCC in a weldment. In this study, both numerical simulation technology and experimental method were employed to investigate the characteristics of welding residual stress distribution in several typical welded joints, which are used in nuclear power plants. These joints include a thick plate butt-welded Alloy 600 joint, a dissimilar metal J-groove set-in joint and a dissimilar metal girth-butt joint. First of all, numerical simulation technology was used to predict welding residual stresses in these three joints, and the influence of heat source model on welding residual stress was examined. Meanwhile, the influence of other thermal processes such as cladding, buttering and heat treatment on the final residual stresses in the dissimilar metal girth-butt joint was also clarified. Secondly, we also measured the residual stresses in three corresponding mock-ups. Finally, the comparisons of the simulation results and the measured data have shed light on how to effectively simulate welding residual stress in these typical joints.


2004 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. Raghavan ◽  
S. Trivedi ◽  
A. Nagaraj ◽  
D. D. McPherson ◽  
K. B. Chandran

2011 ◽  
Vol 219-220 ◽  
pp. 1211-1214
Author(s):  
Wei Jiang

Finite element simulation is an efficient method for studying factors affecting weld-induced residual stress distributions. In this paper, a validated three-dimensional finite element model consisting of sequentially coupled thermal and structural analyses was developed. Three possible symmetrical welding sequences, i.e. one-welder, two-welder and four-welder sequence, which were perceived to generate the least distortion in actual welding circumstances, were proposed and their influences on the residual stress fields in a thick-walled tee joint were investigated. Appropriate conclusions and recommendations regarding welding sequences are presented.


Author(s):  
J.-S. Park ◽  
J.-M. Kim ◽  
G.-H. Sohn ◽  
Y.-H. Kim

This study is concerned with the mechanics analysis of residual stress improvement by the heat sink method applied to a dissimilar metal weld (DMW) for the use in nuclear power plants. The DMW joint considered here is composed of ferritic low-alloy steel nozzle, austenitic stainless steel safe-end, and nickel-base alloy A52 weld metal. To prepare the DMW joint with a narrow-gap, the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process is utilized, and the heat sink method is employed to control thermal gradients developed in the critical region of work pieces during welding. Weld residual stresses are computed by the non-linear thermal elasto-plastic analysis using the axisymmetric finite element (FE) model, for which temperature-dependent thermal and mechanical properties of the materials are considered. A full-scale mock-up test is conducted to validate analytical solution for the DMW joint, and residual stresses are measured by using the hole-drilling method. Results of the FE modeling and mock-up test for the DMW joint are compared and effects of the heat sink method are discussed. It is found that a significant amount of residual compressive stresses can be developed on the inner surface of the DMW joint by using the heat sink method, which can effectively reduce the susceptibility of the welded materials to stress corrosion or fatigue cracking.


Author(s):  
Kazuo Ogawa ◽  
Nobuyoshi Yanagida ◽  
Koichi Saito

Residual stress distribution in an oblique nozzle jointed to a vessel with J-groove welds was analyzed using a three-dimensional finite element method. All welding passes were considered in a 180-degree finite element (FE) model with symmetry. Temperature and stress were modeled for simultaneous bead laying. To determine residual stress distributions at the welds experimentally, a mock-up specimen was manufactured. The analytical results show good agreement with the experimental measurement data, indicating that FE modeling is valid.


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