Fatigue Life of the Strain Hardened Austenitic Stainless Steel in Simulated PWR Primary Water

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuya Tsutsumi ◽  
Nicolas Huin ◽  
Thierry Couvant ◽  
Gilbert Henaff ◽  
Jose Mendez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Strain Hardening ◽  
Fatigue Testing ◽  
Low Cycle Fatigue ◽  
Axial Strain ◽  
Correlation Factor ◽  
304L Stainless Steel ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Primary Water

Over the last 20 years or so, many studies have revealed the deleterious effect of the environment on fatigue life of austenitic stainless steels in pressurized water reactor (PWR) primary water. The fatigue life correlation factor, so-called Fen, has been standardized to consider the effect on fatigue life evaluation. The formulations are function of strain rate and temperature due to their noticeable negative effect compared with other factors [1,2]. However, mechanism causing fatigue life reduction remains to be cleared. As one of possible approaches to examine underlying mechanism of environmental effect, the authors focused on the effect of plastic strain, because it could lead microstructural evolution on the material. In addition, in the case of stress corrosion cracking (SCC), it is well known that the strain-hardening prior to exposure to the primary water can lead to remarkable increase of the susceptibility to cracking [3,4]. However, its effect on fatigue life has not explicitly been investigated yet. The main effort in this study addressed the effect of the prior strain-hardening on low cycle fatigue life of 304L stainless steel (SS) exposed to the PWR primary water. A plate of 304LSS was strain hardened by cold rolling or tension prior to fatigue testing. The tests were performed under axial strain-controlled at 300 °C in primary water including B/Li and dissolved hydrogen, and in air. The effect on environmental fatigue life was investigated through a comparison of the Fen in experiments and in regulations, and also the effect on the fatigue limit defined at 106 cycles was discussed.

Low Cycle Fatigue of Nuclear Pipe Components

1974 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 171-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Heald ◽  
E. Kiss
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Fatigue Testing ◽  
Low Cycle Fatigue ◽  
304 Stainless Steel ◽  
Code Design ◽  
Hydraulic Pressure ◽  
Cycle Fatigue ◽  
Cyclic Bending

This paper presents the results of low-cycle fatigue testing and analysis of 26 piping components and butt-welded sections. The test specimens were fabricated from Type-304 stainless steel and carbon steel, materials which are typically used in the primary piping of light water nuclear reactors. Components included 6-in. elbows, tees, and girth butt-welded straight sections. Fatigue testing consisted of subjecting the specimens to deflection-controlled cyclic bending with the objective of simulating system thermal expansion type loading. Tests were conducted at room temperature and 550 deg F, with specimens at room temperature subjected to 1050 psi constant internal hydraulic pressure in addition to cyclic bending. In two tests at room temperature, however, stainless steel elbows were subjected to combined simultaneous cyclic internal pressure and cyclic bending. Predictions of the fatigue life of each of the specimens tested have been made according to the procedures specified in NB-3650 of Section III[1] in order to assess the code design margin. For the purpose of the assessment, predicted fatigue life is compared to actual fatigue life which is defined as the number of fatigue cycles producing complete through-wall crack growth (leakage). Results of this assessment show that the present code fatigue rules are adequately conservative.

Environmental Fatigue Testing of Type 316 Stainless Steel in 310 °C Water

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyunchul Cho ◽  
Byoung Koo Kim ◽  
In Sup Kim ◽  
Seung Jong Oh ◽  
Dae Yul Jung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Fatigue Testing ◽  
Low Cycle Fatigue ◽  
Pure Water ◽  
Cyclic Stress ◽  
Strain Rates ◽  
Low Oxygen ◽  
Test Environment ◽  
316 Stainless Steel

Low cycle fatigue tests were conducted to investigate fatigue behaviors of Type 316 stainless steel in 310 °C low oxygen water. In the tests, strain rates were 4 × 10−4, 8 × 10−5 s−1 and applied strain amplitudes were 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0%. The test environment was pure water at a temperature of 310 °C, pressure of 15 MPa, and dissolved oxygen concentration of < 1 ppb. Type 316 stainless steel underwent a primary hardening, followed by a moderate softening for both strain rates in 310 °C low oxygen water. The primary hardening was much less pronounced and secondary hardening was observed at lower strain amplitude. On the other hand, the cyclic stress response in room temperature air exhibited gradual softening and did not show any hardening. The fatigue life of the studied steel in 310 °C low oxygen water was shorter than that of the statistical model in air. The reduction of fatigue life was enhanced with decreasing strain rate from 4 × 10−4 to 8 × 10−5 s−1.

Direct Strain-Controlled Variable Strain Rate Low Cycle Fatigue Testing in Simulated PWR Water

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommi Seppänen ◽  
Jouni Alhainen ◽  
Esko Arilahti ◽  
Jussi Solin
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Strain Rate ◽  
Fatigue Testing ◽  
Low Cycle Fatigue ◽  
Reference Value ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Feedback Signal ◽  
Cycle Fatigue ◽  
Experimental Values

A tailored-for-purpose environmental fatigue testing facility was previously developed to perform direct strain-controlled tests on stainless steel in simulated PWR water. Strain in specimen mid-section is generated by the use of pneumatic bellows, and eddy current measurement is used as a feedback signal. The procedure conforms with the ASTM E 606 practice for low cycle fatigue, giving results which are directly compatible with the major NPP design codes. Past studies were compiled in the NUREG/CR-6909 report and environmental reduction factors Fen were proposed to account for fatigue life reduction in hot water as compared to a reference value in air. This database exclusively contained non-stabilized stainless steels, mainly tested under stroke control. The applicability of the stainless steel Fen factor for stabilized alloys was already challenged in past papers (PVP2013-97500, PVP2014-28465). The results presented in this paper follow the same overall trend of lower experimental values (4.12–11.46) compared to those expected according to the NUREG report (9.49–10.37). In this paper results of a dual strain rate test programme on niobium stabilized AISI 347 type stainless steel are presented and discussed in the context of the NUREG/CR-6909 Fen methodology. Special attention is paid to the effect of strain signal on fatigue life, which according to current prediction methods does not affect the value of Fen.

Fatigue Crack Initiation of 304L Stainless Steel in Simulated PWR Primary Environment: Relative Effect of Strain Rate

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Huin ◽  
Kazuya Tsutsumi ◽  
Laurent Legras ◽  
Thierry Couvant ◽  
Dominique Loisnard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Fatigue Crack ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Crack Initiation ◽  
Strain Rate ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Fatigue Crack Initiation ◽  
304L Stainless Steel ◽  
Pressurized Water

The French Regulatory Commission insisted on a survey justifying the assumed mechanical behavior of components exposed to Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) water under cyclic loading without taking into account its effect. In the US and Japan, the fatigue life correlation factors, so called Fen, are formulated and standardized on the basis of laboratory data to take into account the effect on fatigue life evaluation. However, the current fatigue codification, suffers from a lack of understanding of environmental effects on the fatigue lives of stainless steels in simulated hydrogenated PWR environments. Samples tested in a recent study were analyzed to highlight the strain rate effect (within a range 0.4%/s to 0.004%/s) at the early stage of fatigue life in PWR primary environment for a 304L stainless steel. The deleterious effect of PWR primary environment on fatigue crack initiation was observed with a quantitative microscopic approach. Multi scale observations of oxide morphology and microstructure were carried out from common optical microscopy using recent technologies such as 3D oxide reconstruction, and DualBeam observations.

Mean Stress Effect on Fatigue Properties of Type 316 Stainless Steel in Pressurized Water Reactors Primary Water Environment

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Masayuki Kamaya
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Stress Effect ◽  
Mean Stress ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
316 Stainless Steel ◽  
Mean Stress Effect ◽  
Primary Water ◽  
The Mean

The mean stress effect on the fatigue life of type 316 stainless steel was investigated in simulated pressurized water reactor (PWR) primary water and air at 325 °C. The tests in air environment have revealed that the fatigue life was increased with application of the positive mean stress for the same stress amplitude because the strain range was decreased by hardening of material caused by increased maximum peak stress. On the other hand, it has been shown that the fatigue life obtained in simulated PWR primary water was decreased compared with that obtained in air environment even without the mean stress. In this study, type 316 stainless steel specimens were subjected to the fatigue test with and without application of the positive mean stress in high-temperature air and PWR water environments. First, the mean stress effect was discussed for high-temperature air environment. Then, the change in fatigue life in the PWR water environment was evaluated. It was revealed that the change in the fatigue life due to application of the mean stress in the PWR water environment could be explained in the same way as for the air environment. No additional factor was induced by applying the mean stress in the PWR water environment.

Thermal Aging Effect on Environmental Fatigue Life of CF8M Cast Stainless Steel at Strain Rate 0.04%/s Under PWR Operating Condition

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ill-Seok Jeong ◽  
Wan-Jae Kim ◽  
Hyun-Ik Jeon
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Strain Rate ◽  
Thermal Aging ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Low Cycle Fatigue ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Operating Condition ◽  
Term Operation

In order to see the effect of thermal aging on environmental fatigue life of CF8M cast austenitic stainless steel (CASS), low-cycle environmental fatigue tests of thermally aged CF8M CASS at the condition of fatigue strain rate 0.04%/s were conducted at the operating condition, 15MPa, 315°C of pressurized water reactor (PWR) environment. Test results of low cycle fatigue life tests for thermally aged specimens simulating 60 operating years were compared with ones of un-aged CF8M CASS in room temperature air and PWR operating conditions to see the effect of the thermal aging on environmental fatigue life. This kind of experiment would be useful to verify the fatigue integrity of long-lived components and to predict plant safety of long term operation beyond design life because current approach of evaluating environmental fatigue is so conservative to apply it to the long-lived components in pressure boundary of nuclear power plants.

Strain Waveform Effects for Low Cycle Fatigue in Simulated PWR Water

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommi Seppänen ◽  
Jouni Alhainen ◽  
Esko Arilahti ◽  
Jussi Solin
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Fatigue Testing ◽  
Low Cycle Fatigue ◽  
Reference Value ◽  
Steel Specimen ◽  
Feedback Signal ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Testing Facility ◽  
Reference Curves

In order to perform design code (ASME III, RCC-M, JSME) compatible direct strain-controlled tests in simulated PWR water, a unique environmental fatigue testing facility was previously developed. Pneumatic bellows are used to generate strain in the stainless steel specimen mid-section, while eddy current based measurement is used as a feedback signal. The NUREG/CR-6909 report gathered a large database of test results and proposed environmental reduction factors (Fen) to account for a reduction in fatigue life in simulated LWR environment when comparing to a reference value in air. The database was composed of non-stabilized stainless steels tested using methods which are not directly comparable to those used in air to define the reference curves. Applicability of the stainless steel Fen factors has already been challenged in previous PVP papers (PVP2013-97500, PVP2014-28465, PVP2016-63294). Results in this paper continue to show this trend of lower experimental Fen factors compared to predictions made by the NUREG report. Dual strain rate tests were performed, specifically focusing on the effect of strain waveform shape on fatigue life. Similarly to last year’s results (PVP2016-63294) a distinct effect of strain waveform, presently inadequately accounted for in Fen predictions, was observed.

Influence of the Strain Rate on the Low Cycle Fatigue Life of an Austenitic Stainless Steel with a Ground Surface Finish in Different Environments

2014 ◽  
Vol 891-892 ◽  
pp. 1320-1326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thibault Poulain ◽  
José Mendez ◽  
Gilbert Hénaff ◽  
Laurent de Baglion
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Austenitic Stainless Steel ◽  
Strain Rate ◽  
Surface Finish ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Low Cycle Fatigue ◽  
Total Strain Amplitude ◽  
Cycle Fatigue ◽  
Pressurized Water

This paper focuses on the influence of strain rate in Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) of a 304L austenitic stainless steel at 300 °C in different environments (secondary vacuum, air and Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) water environment). Moreover test samples are ground to obtain a surface finish rougher than all that could be found in nuclear power plants. Different strain rates (4x10-3, 1x10-4and 1x10-5s-1) are studied, with a triangular waveform at a total strain amplitude of ±0.6%. The influence of strain rate on cyclic stress-strain behavior and fatigue life is firstly analyzed in secondary vacuum, considered as a non-active environment. Then, interactions between stain rate and environmental effects in Air and in PWR environment are presented. In all environments, a decrease in strain rate leads to a negative strain rate dependence of the stress response and a reduction in fatigue life. Finally, SEM observations of fatigue striations in PWR environment indicate a crack propagation rate enhancement when the strain rate is decreased.

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