Comparison of Fatigue Damage Estimates Using the ASME Code and Other Methods

Author(s):  
Som Chattopadhyay

Fatigue damage calculations have been performed in a specific design application using the method outlined in the ASME Code Section III as well as the local strain approach. For both methods, the finite element stress analysis results for a structural component subject to a specified set of transient loadings have been considered. The local strain approach is based on computing strain ranges from the elastic stresses using the material stress strain curve and Neuber’s rule. The allowable number of cycles is determined from the strain ranges and the continuous cycling fatigue curve for the material. A comparison of the fatigue damages predicted by the two methods demonstrates some of the conservatisms of the ASME Code procedure over the local strain approach. The sources of conservatism lie in the low cycle fatigue strain concentration factors and inherent safety factors in the design fatigue curves of the ASME Code. Some of the non-conservatisms in the ASME Code fatigue evaluation could primarily arise from the low cycle fatigue strain concentration factors for stress ranges in the vicinity of 3Sm for the material, a result based on experimental and finite element studies. We have also included an assessment approach based on a material distance parameter for the same problem.

2014 ◽  
Vol 137 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
George E. Varelis ◽  
Spyros A. Karamanos

The present study examines the mechanical behavior of steel process piping elbows, subjected to strong cyclic loading conditions. The work is numerical, supported by experimental data on elbow specimens subjected to in-plane cyclic bending, with or without internal pressure, resulting in failure in the low-cycle-fatigue range. The investigation of elbow behavior is conducted using rigorous finite element analysis accounting for measured elbow geometry and the actual material properties. An advanced cyclic plasticity material model is employed for the simulation of the tests. Emphasis is given on the value of local strain and its accumulation at the critical elbow location where cracking occurs. Based on the cyclic stress–strain curve of the material and the strain-based fatigue curve from the test data, the use of Neuber's formula leads to a fatigue analysis and design methodology, offering a simple and efficient tool for predicting elbow fatigue life.


Author(s):  
Masaki Shiratori ◽  
Yoji Ochi ◽  
Izumi Nakamura ◽  
Akihito Otani

A series of finite element analyses has been carried out in order to investigate the failure behaviors of degraded bent pipes with local thinning against seismic loading. The sensitivity of such parameters as the residual thickness, locations and width of the local thinning to the failure modes such as ovaling and local buckling and to the low cycle fatigue damage has been studied. It has been found that this approach is useful to make a reasonable experimental plan, which has to be carried out under the condition of limited cost and limited period.


Author(s):  
Patricia Pappa ◽  
George E. Varelis ◽  
Spyros A. Karamanos ◽  
Arnold M. Gresnigt

In this paper the low cycle fatigue behaviour of steel elbows under strong cyclic loading conditions (in-plane and out-of-plane) is examined. The investigation is conducted through advanced finite element analysis tools, supported by real-scale test data for in-plane bending. The numerical results are successfully compared with the experimental measurements. In addition, a parametric study is conducted, which is aimed at investigating the effects of the diameter-to-thickness ratio on the low-cycle fatigue of elbows, focusing on the stress and strain variations. Strain gauge measurements are compared with finite element models. Upon calculation of local strain variation at the critical location, the number of cycles to fracture can be estimated.


Author(s):  
Parichay Basu ◽  
Sanjib K Acharyya ◽  
Prasanta Sahoo

The effect of varying microstructural parameters on the cyclic behaviour of dual-phase steels was studied on the basis of experimental and micromechanical finite-element simulated results. The initial bainitic morphology of as-received 20MnMoNi55 steel was transformed into ferrite and martensite through proper inter-critical heat treatment procedures. Strain-controlled low cycle fatigue tests were conducted at room temperature with different strain amplitudes at a specific strain rate of 10−3/s. The cyclic stress–strain curve, obtained through joining the peak stresses of hysteresis loops corresponding to different strain amplitude, shows an increase in strain hardening with an increase in volume fraction of martensite. Whereas the rate of cyclic softening, considering the decrease in stress amplitude with respect to elapsed cycles, increases with increasing strain amplitude. Inclusive of all affecting microstructural parameters, an original microstructure-based representative volume element associated with a crystal plasticity-based material model was adopted for conducting micromechanical finite-element simulation. In addition to several parameters associated with a crystal plasticity model, consideration of initial geometrically necessary dislocation density in constituent phases resulted in the accurate prediction of a hysteresis loop at low strain amplitude as compared with the experimental results. A variation of stress triaxiality built up in ferrite matrix with martensite fraction along with deformation inhomogeneity between ferrite and martensite was also observed through a strain partitioning phenomenon obtained from finite-element simulated results.


Author(s):  
Tommi Seppänen ◽  
Jouni Alhainen ◽  
Esko Arilahti ◽  
Jussi Solin

The update of the ASME III design fatigue curve for stainless steel in conjunction with the Fen model described in the NUREG/CR-6909 report has been criticized since publication. Data used to develop curves and models raises more questions than it answers. Material testing in a simulated light water reactor environment is difficult due to the temperature and pressure involved. The experimental challenge makes it tempting to take shortcuts where they should least be taken. Facing and overcoming the challenges, direct strain-controlled fatigue testing has been performed at VTT using a unique tailored-for-purpose EAF facility. The applicable ASTM standards E 606 and E1012 are followed to provide results that are directly compatible with ASME Code Section III. Several earlier PVP papers (PVP2016-63291, PVP2017-65374) report lower than calculated experimental Fen factors for stabilized stainless steels. In this paper new results, in line with the previous years’ conclusions, are presented for nonstabilized AISI 304L tested with dual strain rate waveforms. To model environmental effects more accurately, an approach accounting for the damaging effect of plastic strain is proposed. A draft Fen model, similar in structure to the NUREG model but with additional parameters, is shown to significantly improve the accuracy of Fen prediction.


Author(s):  
Zachary Dyer ◽  
George C. Altland

In the current market for large steam turbines, customers increasingly want to aggressively cycle their equipment to accommodate electrical grids that include fluctuating supplies of green energy. Increased and aggressive cycling leads to higher probability of low-cycle-fatigue cracking and provides motivation for the design of new steam turbines that are robust enough to withstand this demanding working environment yet still meet the operational and cost expectations of potential customers. ASME BPVC Section III Subsection NH provides a calculation for fatigue damage assessment using either an elastic method or an inelastic method. This paper describes how the inelastic method can be applied to large steam turbines — calculating low-cycle fatigue damage by using commercial finite element software and plastic material models to directly determine elastic-plastic strains throughout the cycle, rather than approximating them using the results of an elastic analysis. The inelastic method is applied to a steam turbine casing during startup cycles — the total strain through the cycle is calculated directly by the elastic-plastic finite element analysis (FEA) then the delta equivalent total strain is calculated using equations in Subsection NH. For comparison, an elastic method is applied to the same analysis — the maximum elastic stress is calculated by the linear-elastic FEA then the delta equivalent total strain is approximated using Neuber’s rule. The inelastic method calculates a smaller delta equivalent total strain, which leads to significantly increased fatigue life. This more sophisticated method could lead to steam turbine components with less cost, more durability, and better performance. This paper also discusses some issues in using the inelastic method, such as shakedown and ratcheting.


1974 ◽  
Vol 188 (1) ◽  
pp. 321-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. J. Evans ◽  
G. P. Tilly

The low-cycle fatigue characteristics of an 11 per cent chromium steel, two nickel alloys and two titanium alloys have been studied in the range 20° to 500°C. For repeated-tension stress tests on all the materials, there was a sharp break in the stress-endurance curve between 103 and 104 cycles. The high stress failures were attributed to cyclic creep contributing to the development of internal cavities. At lower stresses, failures occurred through the growth of fatigue cracks initiated at the material surface. The whole fatigue curve could be represented by an expression developed from linear damage assumptions. Data for different temperatures and types of stress concentration were correlated by expressing stress as a fraction of the static strength. Repeated-tensile strain cycling data were represented on a stress-endurance diagram and it was shown that they correlated with push-pull stress cycles at high stresses and repeated-tension at low stresses. In general, the compressive phase tended to accentuate cyclic creep so that ductile failures occurred at proportionally lower stresses. Changes in frequency from 1 to 100 cycle/min were shown to have no significant effect on low-cycle fatigue behaviour.


2006 ◽  
Vol 514-516 ◽  
pp. 804-809
Author(s):  
S. Gao ◽  
Ewald Werner

The forging die material, a high strength steel designated W513 is considered in this paper. A fatigue damage model, based on thermodynamics and continuum damage mechanics, is constructed in which both the previous damage and the loading sequence are considered. The unknown material parameters in the model are identified from low cycle fatigue tests. Damage evolution under multi-level fatigue loading is investigated. The results show that the fatigue life is closely related to the loading sequence. The fatigue life of the materials with low fatigue loading first followed by high fatigue loading is longer than that for the reversed loading sequence.


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