• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.12-24
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• 1995

Recently, more researches have been actively performed for the assessment of material degradation and residual-life of elevated temperature plant components, as some of domestic fossil power plants become older than 30 years. In this paper, results of on_site residual life assessment are reported for main steam pipes of Youngwol power station #2 which have operated since 1965. For critical weld locations such as butt welds branch welds, Y_sections and a T-section, replication technique and hardness measurement technique were employed for life_assessment. When cracks were detected by conventional NDT tests, crack growth life was calculated using a computer code. On the other hand, for matrix of pipes, residual life was quantitatively estimated by an analytic method and material degradation was estimated qualitatively using diameter measurement data and grain-boundary etching method. Also, direction in further improvement of on-site life assessment techniques are proposed.