• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.7-12
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• 2007

In order to evaluate the integrity of Zr-2.5Nb pressure tubes, probabilistic fracture mechanics(PFM) approach was employed. Failure assessment diagram(FAD), plastic collapses, and critical crack lengths(CCL) were used for evaluating the failure probability as failure criteria. The Kr-FAD as failure assessment diagram was used because fracture of pressure tubes occurred in brittle manner due to hydrogen embrittlement of material by deuterium fluence. The probabilistic integrity evaluation observed AECL procedures and used fracture toughness parameters of EPRI and recently announced theory. In conclusion, the probabilistic approach using the Kr-FAD made it possible to determine major failure criterion in the pressure tube integrity evaluation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.29 no.5 s.236
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• pp.734-742
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• 2005

The present study proposes the integrity evaluation model for a straight pipe with local wall thinning defect, which reflects the characteristics of training shape and loading condition in the Piping of nuclear power plant. For this purpose, a series of finite element analyses are performed under various defect geometries and loading conditions, and real pipe experiment data performed previously is employed. The model includes the effect of thinning length as well as thinning depth and width, and also it considers the combined loading effect between internal pressure and bending moment. The proposed model has been validated using the results of finite element analysis and pipe experiment data. The results indicate that the proposed model provides more reliable predictions of pipe failure than the current existing model, in terms of accuracy, consistency, and conservativeness of results.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.3136-3148
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• 1994

This paper proposed the method of fracture integrity evaluation for semi-elliptical crack. Plane strain fracture toughnesses are used to compare with the thermal shock stress intensity factors for semi-elliptical crack obtained by Vainshtok weight function method. The method is applied to the finite Cr Mo V and 2.25Cr Mo steel plates with semi-elliptical crack under the thermal shock. For the purpose, tensile property and fracture toughness with respect to the temperature are measured. To verify the method, thermal shock experiments are carried. The theoretical predictions are in good agreement with the experiments.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.29 no.8 s.239
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• pp.1102-1108
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• 2005

The integrity of nuclear piping systems has to be maintained sufficiently all the times during operation. In order to maintain the integrity, reliable assessment procedures including fracture mechanics analysis, etc, are required. Up to now, the integrity assessment has been performed using conventional deterministic approach even though there are lots of uncertainties to hinder a rational evaluation. In this respect, probabilistic approach is considered as an appropriate method for piping system evaluation. The objectives of this paper are to develop a probabilistic assessment program using reliability index and simulation technique and to estimate the damage probability of wall-thinned pipes in secondary systems. The probabilistic assessment program consists of three evaluation modules which are first order reliability method, second order reliability method and Monte Carlo simulation method. The developed program has been applied to evaluate damage probabilities of wall-thinned pipes subjected to internal pressure, global bending moment and combined loading. The sensitivity analysis results as well as prototypal evaluation results showed a promising applicability of the probabilistic integrity assessment program.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.1320-1329
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• 2024

When wall-thinning occurs in nuclear Class 2 and 3 pipes, reinforcement is typically applied rather than replacement. To analyze the structural integrity of reinforced wall-thinned pipe, stress analysis results using full 3-D FE analysis are not compatible to the design code equation, ASME BPVC Sec. III NC/ND-3650. Therefore, the efficient stress evaluation method for the reinforced wall-thinned pipe, compatible to the design code equation, needs to be developed. In this paper, stress evaluation methods for the reinforced wall-thinned pipe are proposed using the equivalent straight pipe concept. Furthermore, for fatigue analysis of the reinforced wall-thinned pipe, the stress intensification factor of reinforced wall-thinned pipe is presented using the structural stress method given in ASME BPVC Sec. VIII Div.2.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.54-59
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• 2004

In this paper probabilistic fracture mechanics(PFM) approach is employed to evaluate the integrity of CANDU Zr-2.5Nb pressure tubes. Modified failure assessment diagram(Jr-FAD), plastic collapse, and critical crack length(CCL) approach are used for evaluating failure probability of the tubes. Jr-FAD was extended from the Kr-FAD because fracture of pressure tubes occurs in brittle manner due to hydrogen embrittlement of material by deuterium fluence. For developing the probabilistic integrity evaluation module, AECL procedures and fracture toughness parameters of EPRI were used.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.1047-1052
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• 2012

Primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) instances have been reported in the Alloy 600 reactor pressure vessel head penetration nozzle and the Alloy 82/182 dissimilar metal butt weld nozzle in several PWRs. Therefore, in-service inspection programs have been adopted worldwide to prevent failure at the weld region. If a PWSCC is observed at the dissimilar metal weld region during inspection, its structural integrity should be evaluated; however, this requires considerable time and effort, and this might lead to a decrease in the plant utilization coefficient. To prevent this, KHNP-CRI have established integrity assessment criteria and developed a computer program for the fast evaluation and judgment of PWSCC. In this paper, the results and current status of the same are presented. Through this study, criteria for the structural integrity evaluation of PWSCC have been established, and a computer program has been developed to realize technical means for the evaluation of PWSCC structural integrity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.7-12
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• 2008

This study proposes integrity evaluation method of weld zone in titanium using titanium distance amplitude characteristics curve(TDACC) and ultrasonic signals. For these purposes, the ultrasonic signals for porosity defects of weld zone in titanium are acquired in the type of time series data and echo strength. 4 lines in the DACC indicated damage evaluation standard of weld zone in titanium. The acquired ultrasonic signals agree fairly well with the measured results of reference block and sensitivity block(defect location, bean1 propagation distance, echo strength, etc). The proposed TDACC in this study agree fairy well with the measured results of weld zone in titanium(weld defects as porosity). The proposed TDACC in this study can be used for integrity evaluation of weld zone in titanium.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2012.10a
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• pp.745-746
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• 2012

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.289-295
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• 2004

Pressure tubes are major component of nuclear reactor, but only selected samples are periodically examined due to numerous numbers of tubes. Current in-service inspection result show there is high probability of flaw existence at uninspected pressure tube. Probabilistic analysis is applied in this study for the integrity assessment of uninspected pressure tube. All the current integrity evaluations procedures are based on conventional deterministic approaches. So it is expected that the results obtained are too conservative to perform a rational evaluation of lifetime. More realistic failure criteria, based on FAD are also proposed for the probabilistic analysis. As a result of this study failure probabilities for various conditions are calculated, and examined application of FAD and LBB concept.