Influence of PWR Environment on Fatigue Crack Initiation and Growth of Type 316 Stainless Steel

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryosuke Fujikawa ◽  
Shigeki Abe ◽  
Takao Nakamura ◽  
Masayuki Kamaya
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Crack Initiation ◽  
Environmental Effect ◽  
Monte Carlo Model ◽  
Fatigue Crack Initiation ◽  
Multiple Crack ◽  
316 Stainless Steel ◽  
Fatigue Life Reduction

This study was aimed at investigating the role of crack initiation and growth rate on the fatigue life reduction by environmental effect. First, crack length and the number of cracks were observed on the inner surface of specimens after fatigue test in PWR environment and air. Next, incubation time was deduced by inverse analysis. Third, statistical crack initiation and growth behavior was simulated by a Monte Carlo model. The influence of multiple crack interaction and coalescence to the fatigue life were discussed. It was revealed that environmental effect enhanced crack initiation and accelerated crack growth. Moreover, coalescence of cracks was estimated to influence fatigue life of 316 stainless steel in PWR environment.

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.

Environmental Effect on Fatigue Crack Initiation and Growth of Stainless Steel for Flaw Tolerance Assessment

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masayuki Kamaya
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Crack Initiation ◽  
Crack Growth ◽  
Correction Factor ◽  
Stress Gradient ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Flaw Tolerance ◽  
Fatigue Life Reduction

Fatigue life can be divided into cycles of crack initiation and those in which the initiated crack grows to macroscopic size. In crack growth analysis, it is possible to consider the effect of the strain or stress gradient in the depth direction on the fatigue life. Therefore, flaw tolerance assessments allow reasonable fatigue life prediction. The fatigue life is reduced in the primary water environment of pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plants, and the correction factor Fen is used for considering the fatigue life reduction in fatigue damage assessments. To apply the flaw tolerance concept to a PWR water environment, the correction factor must be applied not to the fatigue life but to the number of cycles for crack growth. In this study, the fatigue life reduction in the PWR environment was correlated to the crack growth acceleration for a flaw tolerance assessment. The crack growth rates were obtained from fatigue life tests and crack growth tests performed in the PWR environment using Type 316 stainless steel. Then, the fatigue life was estimated by predicting the crack growth from an initial depth of 20 μm. It was concluded that a reasonable flaw tolerance assessment can be performed by using the strain intensity factor. The fatigue life reduction was successfully replaced with the crack growth acceleration.

Fatigue Behavior of Circumferentially Notched Round Bars of Austenitic Stainless Steel Under Torsional and Axial Loads

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masao Itatani ◽  
Keisuke Tanaka ◽  
Isao Ohkawa ◽  
Takehisa Yamada ◽  
Toshiyuki Saito
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Stress Concentration ◽  
Crack Initiation ◽  
Crack Propagation ◽  
Fatigue Behavior ◽  
Fatigue Crack Initiation ◽  
Static Tension ◽  
Cyclic Torsion ◽  
Cyclic Tension ◽  
Crack Initiation Life

Fatigue tests of smooth and notched round bars of austenitic stainless steels SUS316NG and SUS316L were conducted under cyclic tension and cyclic torsion with and without static tension. Fatigue strength under fully reversed (R=−1) cyclic tension once increased with increasing stress concentration factor up to Kt=1.5, but it decreased from Kt=1.5 to 2.5. Fatigue life increased with increasing stress concentration under pure cyclic torsion, while it decreased with increasing stress concentration under cyclic torsion with static tension. From the measurement of fatigue crack initiation and propagation lives using electric potential drop method, it was found that the crack initiation life decreased with increasing stress concentration and the crack propagation life increased with increasing stress concentration under pure cyclic torsion. Under cyclic torsion with static tension, the crack initiation life also decreased with increasing stress concentration but the crack propagation life decreased or not changed with increasing stress concentration then the total fatigue life of sharper notched specimen decreased. It was also found that the fatigue life of smooth specimen under cyclic torsion with static tension was longer than that under pure cyclic torsion. This behavior could be explained based on the cyclic strain hardening under non-proportional loading and the difference in crack path with and without static tension.

Effect of Processing Layer on Fatigue Strength of Extruded AZ61 Magnesium Alloy

2013 ◽  
Vol 577-578 ◽  
pp. 429-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukio Miyashita ◽  
Kyohei Kushihata ◽  
Toshifumi Kakiuchi ◽  
Mitsuhiro Kiyohara
Keyword(s):  
Fatigue Crack ◽  
Fatigue Life ◽  
Fatigue Strength ◽  
Magnesium Alloy ◽  
Crack Initiation ◽  
Crack Growth ◽  
Fatigue Crack Initiation ◽  
Fatigue Tests ◽  
Crack Growth Resistance ◽  
Az61 Magnesium Alloy

Fatigue Property of an Extruded AZ61 Magnesium Alloy with the Processing Layer Introduced by Machining was Investigated. Rotating Bending Fatigue Tests were Carried out with the Specimen with and without the Processing Layer. According to Results of the Fatigue Tests, Fatigue Life Significantly Increased by Introducing the Processing Layer to the Specimen Surface. Fatigue Crack Initiation and Propagation Behaviors were Observed by Replication Technique during the Fatigue Test. Fatigue Crack Initiation Life of the Specimen with the Processing Layer was Slightly Longer than that of the Specimen without the Processing Layer. Higher Fatigue Crack Growth Resistance was also Observed when the Fatigue Crack was Growing in the Processing Layer in the Specimen with the Processing Layer. the Longer Fatigue Life Observed in the Fatigue Test in the Specimen with the Processing Layer could be Mainly due to the Higher Crack Growth Resistance. it is Speculated that the Fatigue Strength can be Controlled by Change in Condition of Machining Process. it could be Effective way in Industry to Improved Fatigue Strength only by the Cutting Process without Additional Surface Treatment Process.

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