• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.725-726
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• 2008

This paper proposes elastic stress intensity factors and crack opening displacements (CODs) for a slanted axial through-wall cracked cylinder under an internal pressure based on detailed 3-dimensional (3-D) elastic finite element (FE) analyses. Based on the elastic FE results, the stress intensity factors along the crack front and CODs through the thickness at the center of the crack were provided. These values were also tabulated for three selected points, i.e., the inner and outer surfaces and at the mid-thickness. The present results can be used to evaluate the crack growth rate and leak rate of a slanted axial through-wall crack due to stress corrosion cracking and fatigue. Moreover, the present results can be used to perform a detailed Leak-Before-Break analysis considering more realistic crack shape development.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1612-1620
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• 2004

This study presents methods to estimate elastic-plastic crack opening displacement (COD) fur circumferential through-wall cracked pipes for the Leak-Before-Break (LBB) analysis of pressurized piping. Proposed methods are based not only on the GE/EPRI approach but also on the reference stress approach. For each approach, two different estimation schemes are given, one for the case when full stress-strain data are available and the other fur the case when only yield and ultimate tensile strengths are available. For the GE/EPRI approach a robust way of determining the Ramberg-Osgood (R-O) parameters is proposed, not only fur the case when detailed information on full stress-strain data is available but also for the case when only yield and ultimate tensile strengths are available. The COD estimates according to the GE/EPRI approach, using the R-O parameters determined from the proposed R-O fitting procedures, generally compare well with the published pipe test data. For the reference stress approach, the COD estimates according to the method based on both full stress-strain data and limited tensile properties are in good agreement with pipe test data. In conclusion, experimental validation given in the present study provides sufficient confidence in the use of the proposed method to practical LBB analyses even though when information on material's tensile properties is limited.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.651-659
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• 2011

With the increase in the thermal power output of recently developed nuclear power plants, the applied forces and moments are increased in some piping systems, so that the leak-before-break (LBB) application criteria would not be satisfied in those pipes. In this paper, we present a method for obtaining the additive LBB margin in the pipes by considering the nonlinearity of the crack and material properties. Finite element analysis and the moment-rotation equation of beam theory were used to calculate the nonlinearity of the crack and material properties. Moreover crack stability analysis was performed using the method proposed in this study. The LBB margin was increased effectively through consideration of the nonlinearity of the crack and material properties in the pipe.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.7
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• pp.639-656
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• 2006

In order to apply the leak before break (LBB) concept to nuclear piping systems, the dynamic strain aging effect of low carbon steel materials has to be taken into account, in compliance with the requirements of the Korean Standard Review Guide (KSRG) 3.6.3-1. For this goal, J-R tests are needed for a range of various temperatures and loading rates, including dynamic loading conditions. In the dynamic loading J-R test, the unloading compliance method can not be applied to measure the crack growth and direct current potential drop (DCPD) method; this method also has a problem defining the crack initiation point. The normalization method is known as a very useful method to determine the J-R curve under dynamic loading because it does not need additional equipment or complicated loading sequences such as electric current or unloading. This method was accepted by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) as a standard test method E1820 A15 in 2001. However, it has not yet been clearly verified yet if the normalization method is sufficiently reliable to be applied to LBB. In this study, the basic background of the J-integral, LBB and dynamic loading J-R test are explained, and the current status for dynamic loading J-R test methods are reviewed from the view point of LBB for nuclear piping. In particular, the theoretical and historical background of the normalization method which has received attention recently, is summarized. Recent studies for this method are introduced and future works are suggested that may improve the reliability of LBB for nuclear piping.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.14-21
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• 2008

The prediction for gaseous leak flows through a narrow crack is important for a leak-before-break (LBB) analysis. Therefore, the methodology to obtain the flow characteristics of gaseous leak flow in a narrow crack for the wide range by using the product of friction factor and Reynolds number correlations (fRe) for a micro-channel is developed and presented. The correlation applied here was proposed by the previous study. The fourth-order Runge-Kutta method was employed to integrate the nonlinear ordinary differential equation for the pressure and the regular-Falsi method was also employed to find the inlet Mach number. A narrow crack whose opening displacement ranges from 10 to $100{\mu}m$ with a crack length in the range from 2 to 200mm was chosen for sample prediction. The present results are compared with both numerical simulation results and available experimental measurements. The results are in excellent agreement with them. The leak flow rate can be approximately predicted by using proposed methodology.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.1264-1272
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• 2016

The accurate estimation of leak rate through cracks is crucial in applying the leak before break (LBB) concept to pipeline design in nuclear power plants. Because of its importance, several programs were developed based on the several proposed flow models, and used in nuclear power industries. As the flow models were developed for a homogeneous pipe material, however, some difficulties were encountered in estimating leak rates for bimaterial pipes. In this paper, a flow model is proposed to estimate leak rate in bimaterial pipes based on the modified Henry-Fauske flow model. In the new flow model, different crack morphology parameters can be considered in two parts of a flow path. In addition, based on the proposed flow model, a program was developed to estimate leak rate for a crack with linearly varying cross-sectional area. Using the program, leak rates were calculated for through-thickness cracks with constant or linearly varying cross-sectional areas in a bimaterial pipe. The leak rate results were then compared and discussed in comparison with the results for a homogeneous pipe. The effects of the crack morphology parameters and the variation in cross-sectional area on the leak rate were examined and discussed.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.2894-2900
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• 1996

The stream generator tubes represent an integral part of a major barrier against the fission product release to the environment. So, the rupture of these tubes could permit flow of reactor coolant into the secondary system and injure the safety of reactor coolant system. Therefore, if the crack was detected during In-Service Inspection of tubes the cracked tube should be evaluated by the pulgging criteria and plugged or not. In this study, the fracture mechanics evaluation is carried out on the thru-wall axial crack due to Primary Water Stress Corrosion Cracking in the roll transition aone of steam generator tube to help the assurence the integrity of tubes and estabilish the plugging criteria. Due to the Inconel which is used as tube material is more ductile than others, the plastic instability repture theory was used to calculate the critical and allowable crack length. Based on Leak Before Break concept the leak rate for the critical crack length and the allowable leak rate are compared and the safety of tubes was given.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.241.2-241.2
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• 2003

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.13 no.3 s.33
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• pp.36-48
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• 1999

Fatigue life and crack retardation behavior after penetration were experimentally examined using surface pre-cracked specimens of aluminium alloy 5083. The Wheeler model retardation parameter was used successfully to predict crack growth behavior after penetration. By using a crack propagation rule, the change in crack shape after penetration can be evaluated quantitatively. Advanced, waveform-based acoustic emission (AE) techniques have been successfully used to evaluate signal characteristics obtained form fatigue crack propagation and penetratin behavior in 6061 aluminum plate with surface crack under fatigue stress. Surface defects in the structural members are apt to be origins of fatigue crack growth, which may cause serious failure of the whole structure. The nondestructive analysis on the crack growth and penetration from these defects may, therefore, be one of the most important subjects on the reliability of the leak before break (LBB) design. The goal of the present study is to determine if different sources of the AE could be identified by characteristics of the waveforms produced from the crack growth and penetration. AE signals detected in four stages were found to have different signal per stage. With analysis of waveform and power spectrum in 6061 aluminum alloys with a surface crack, it is found to be capabilities on real-time monitoring for the crack propagation and penetration behavior of various damages and defects in structural members.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.1051-1061
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• 1995

In order perform leak-before-break design of nuclear piping systems and integrity evaluation of reactor vessels, full stress-strain (.sigma. - .epsilon.) curves and fracture resistance (J-R) curves are required. However it is time-consuming and expensive to obtain J-R curves experimentally. The objective of this paper is to develop two methods for J-R curve prediction. In the first method, elastic-plastic finite element analyses for a series of crack length / specimen width ratio were performed. Accordingly the load versus load line displacement (P .delta.) curve corresponding to the fracture strain is obtained and the J-R curve based on the generalized locus method is obtained. In the second method, the correlation between .sigma.-.epsilon. curves and J-R curves was statistically analyzed and an empirical equation to predict the J-R curve from the .sigma.-.epsilon. test result is proposed. A good correlation between the predicted results based on the proposed methods and the experimental ones is obtained.