• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권5호
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• pp.1726-1746
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• 2022

This paper presents fracture mechanics analysis results for various cracks located at pressurized water reactor pressure vessel nozzle crotch corners taking into consideration constraint effect. Technical documents such as the ASME B&PV Code, Sec.XI were reviewed and then a fracture mechanics analysis procedure was proposed for structural integrity assessment of various nozzle crotch corner cracks under normal operation conditions considering the constraint effect. Linear elastic fracture mechanics analysis was performed by conducting finite element analysis with the proposed analysis procedure. Based on the evaluation results, elastic-plastic fracture mechanics analysis taking into account the constraint effect was performed only for the axial surface crack of the reactor pressure vessel outlet nozzle with cladding. The fracture mechanics analysis result shows that only the axial surface crack in the reactor pressure vessel outlet nozzle has the stress intensity factor exceeding the low bound of upper-shelf fracture toughness irrespectively of considering the constraint effect. It is confirmed that the J-integral for the axial crack of the outlet nozzle does not exceed the ductile crack initiation toughness. Hence, it can be ensured that the structural integrity of all the cracks is maintained during the normal operation.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제25권7호
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• pp.1031-1038
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• 2001

In order to verify the analytical methods predicting failure behavior of cracked piping, full-scale pipe tests are crucial in nuclear power plant piping. For this reason, series of international test programs have been conducted. However, full-scale pipe tests require expensive testing equipment and long period of testing time. The objective of this paper is to develop a test system which can economically simulate the full-scale pipe test regarding the integrity evaluation. This system provides the failure behavior of cracked pipe by testing a wide-plate specimen. The system provides the failure behavior of cracked pipe by testing a wide-plate specimen. The system was developed for the integrity evaluation of nuclear piping based on the methodology of hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) simulation. Using this simulator, the piping integrity can be evaluated based on the elastic-plastic behavior of full-scale pipe, and the high cost full-scale pipe test may be replaced with this economical system.

• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기계학회 2008년도 추계학술대회A
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• pp.264-268
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• 2008

An assessment of creep-fatigue crack behavior is required to ensure the structural integrity for high temperature components such as fast breeder reactor structures or thermal power plant components operating at an elevated temperature. In this study, an evaluation of creep-fatigue crack growth has been carried out according to the French assessment guide of the RCC-MR A16 for austenitic stainless steel structures. The assessment procedures for creep-fatigue crack growth in the recent version of the A16 (2007 edition) have been changed considerably from the previous version (2002 edition) and the material properties (RCC-MR Appendix A3) have been changed as well. The impacts of those changes on creep-fatigue crack growth behavior are quantified from the assessments with a structural model. Finally the assessment results were compared with the observed images obtained from the structural tests of the same structural specimen.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제30권5호
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• pp.470-484
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• 1998

An analysis program for the evaluation of pressure vessel integrity under pressurized thermal shock (PTS) is developed. For given material properties and transient history such as temperature and pressure, the stress distribution is calculated and then stress intensity factors are obtained for a wide range of crack sizes. The stress intensity factors are compared with the fracture toughness to check if cracking is expected to occur during the transient. Using this program a round robin problem of PTS during a small break loss of coolant transient has been analyzed as a part of the international comparative assessment study. The allowable maximum reference nil-ductility transition temperatures are determined for various crack sizes.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제44권8호
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• pp.961-970
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• 2012

Often, probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) approaches have been adopted to quantify the failure probabilities of Ni-base alloy components, especially due to primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC), in a primary piping system of pressurized water reactors. In this paper, the key features of an advanced PFM code, PINEP-PWSCC (Probabilistic INtegrity Evaluation for nuclear Piping-PWSCC) for such purpose, are described. In developing the code, we adopted most recent research results and advanced models in calculation modules such as PWSCC crack initiation and growth models, a performance-based probability of detection (POD) model for Ni-base alloy welds, and so on. To verify the code, the failure probabilities for various Alloy 182 welds locations were evaluated and compared with field experience and other PFM codes. Finally, the effects of pre-existing crack, weld repair, and POD models on failure probability were evaluated to demonstrate the applicability of PINEP-PWSCC.

• 대한전기학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한전기학회 1999년도 추계학술대회 논문집 학회본부 A
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• pp.450-454
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• 1999

In order to evaluate the integrity of nuclear power plants, J-integral calculation is crucial. For this purpose, finite element method is popularly used to obtain J-integral. However, high cost time consuming preprocess should be performed to design the finite element model of a cracked structure. Also, the J-integral should be verified by alternative method since it may differ depending on the calculation method. The objective of this paper is to develop a three-dimensional elastic-plastic J-integral analysis system which is named as EPAS. The EPAS program consists of an automatic mesh generator for a through-wall crack and a surface crack, a solver based on ABAQUS program, and a J-integral calculation program which provides DI(Domain Integral) and EDI(Equivalent Domain Integral) based J-integral calculation. Using the EPAS program, an optimized finite element model for a cracked structure can be generated and corresponding J-integral can be obtained subsequently.

• 한국해양공학회지
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.87-102
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• 2024

Given the inadequate regulatory framework for liquefied hydrogen gas storage tanks on ships and the limitations of the IGC Code, designed for liquefied natural gas, this study introduces a critical assessment procedure to ensure the safety and suitability of such tank designs. This study performed a heat transfer analysis for boil-off gas (BOG) calculations and established separate design load cases to evaluate the yielding and buckling strength. In addition, the study assessed methodologies for both high-cycle and low-cycle fatigue assessments, complemented by comprehensive structural integrity evaluations using finite element analysis. A comprehensive approach was developed to assess the structural integrity of Type C tanks by conducting crack propagation analysis and comparing these results with the IGC Code criteria. The practicality and efficacy of these methods were validated through their application on a 23K-class liquefied hydrogen carrier at the concept design stage. These findings may have important implications for enhancing safety standards and regulatory policies.

• 한국정밀공학회지
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• 제7권4호
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• pp.130-139
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• 1990

It is well known that mechanisms of fracture and crack growth depend upon material characteristics such as fracture toughness, environmental condition, crack geometry and mechanical properties. It seems to be very important to investighate the effects of the above factors on the behavior of structural components which contain flaws for the detailed evaluation of their integrity. In this experimental research, fracture behaviors of SK-5 high carbon steel was investigated by using Acoustic Emission(AE) technique. Fracturing processes of materials were estimated through both the tension test with nominal specimens and the fracture test with compact tension specimens. The critical applied load which corresponds to the crack initiation and propagation is very improtant for the determination of yield strength of fracture toughness. The critical applied load($P_Q$) was determined through AE method and the source of AE signal was estimated by fractography analysis. The experimental results may contribute to the safety analyses and strength evaluation of structures.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.321-329
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• 1998

To ensure the structural integrity of the autofrettaged thick-walled cylinder subjected to cyclic internal pressure loading, the fatigue crack propagation life of the cylinder was evaluated. Stress intensity factors of the external cracked cylinder due to internal pressure and autofrettage loadings were calculated using the finite element method. The fatigue crack propagation lives of the cylinder based on the fracture mechanics concepts were predicted and compared to the experimental fatigue lives evaluated from the C-shaped simulation specimens. There were good correlations between the predicted and experimental fatigue lives within a factor of 3 for the single and double grooved C-shaped simulation specimens. Predicted fatigue crack propagation lives of the double grooved cylinders were about 1.5-5 times longer than those of the single grooved cylinders depending on the levels of autofrettage.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1999년도 추계학술발표회요약집
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• pp.225-225
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• 1999