• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.1521-1528
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• 2012

The present paper provides the elastic stress intensity factors (SIFs) and the crack opening displacements (CODs) of a thick-walled pipe with a slanted axial through-wall crack. For estimating these elastic fracture mechanics parameters, systematic three-dimensional elastic finite element (FE) analyses were performed by considering geometric variables, i.e., thickness of pipe, reference crack length, and crack length ratio, affecting the SIFs and CODs. As for loading condition, the internal pressure was considered. Based on the FE results, the SIFs and CODs of slanted axial through-wall cracks in a thickwalled pipe along the crack front and the wall thickness were calculated. In particular, to calculate the SIFs of a thick-walled pipe with a slanted axial through-wall crack from those of a thick-walled pipe with an idealized axial through-wall crack, a slant correction factor representing the effect of the slant crack on the SIFs was proposed.

• 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 Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.13-22
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• 2012

According to recent research on leak-rate estimates to assess rupture probabilities of nuclear piping which contains a circumferential surface/through-wall cracks due to PWSCC, i.e., xLPR (Extremely Low Probability of Rupture) program, it has been revealed that the use of crack shape with an idealized circumferential through-wall crack during actual crack growth can lead to overestimate of the leak-rate. Thus, for accurate estimation of the leak-rate during crack growth, the more realistic crack shape that can simulate the crack shape transition from surface crack to through-wall crack should be used. In this context, in the present study, the elastic crack opening displacement of slanted circumferential through-wall crack in thick-walled cylinder was proposed based on 3-dimensional elastic finite element fracture mechanics analyses. To propose the elastic crack opening displacement of slanted circumferential through-wall crack in thick-walled cylinder, the geometric variables affecting crack opening displacement, i.e., thickness of cylinder, reference inner crack length and slant crack ratio were systematically varied. In terms of loading conditions, axial tension, global bending moment and internal pressure were considered. The present results can be applied to calculate the leak-rate considering more realistic crack shape transition from surface crack to idealized through-wall crack, and can be expected to enhance current leak-rate estimation scheme, for instance, in xLPR program etc.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1329-1335
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• 2011

On the basis of detailed 3D finite-element (FE) limit analyses, the plastic limit load solutions for pipes with slanted circumferential through-wall cracks (TWCs) subjected to axial tension, global bending, and internal pressure are reported. The FE model and analysis procedure employed in the present numerical study were validated by comparing the present FE results with existing solutions for plastic limit loads of pipes with idealized TWCs. For the quantification of the effect of slanted crack on plastic limit load, slant correction factors for calculating the plastic limit loads of pipes with slanted TWCs from pipes with idealized TWCs are newly proposed from extensive 3D FE calculations. These slant-correction factors are presented in tabulated form for practical ranges of geometry and for each set of loading conditions.