• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.3112-3121
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• 2021

One of the major factors affecting the life span of a Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) is the Pressurised Thermal Shock (PTS). PTS is a thermo-mechanical load on the RPV wall due to steep temperature gradients and structural load created by internal pressure of the fluid within the RPV. Safe operating life of a nuclear power plant is ensured by carrying out fracture analysis of the RPV against thermal shock. Carrying out fracture tests on RPV/large scale components is not always feasible. Hence, studies on laboratory level specimens are necessary to validate and supplement the prototype results. This paper aims to study the fracture behaviour of standard Compact Tension [C(T)] specimens, made of RPV steel 20MnMoNi55, subjected to thermal shock through experimental and numerical investigations. Fracture tests have been carried out on the C(T) specimens subjected to thermal transient load and tensile load to quantify the effect of thermal shock. Crack resistance curves are obtained from the fracture tests as per ASTM E1820 and compared with those obtained numerically using XFEM and a good agreement was found. A quantitative study on the crack tip plastic zone, computed using cohesive segment approach, from the numerical analyses justified the experimental crack initiation toughness.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.28-33
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• 2011

The thermal shock properties of SiC materials were investigated for high temperature applications. In particular, the effect of thermal shock temperature on the flexural strength of SiC materials was evaluated, in conjunction with a detailed analysis of their microstructures. The efficiency of a nondestructive technique using ultrasonic waves was also examined for the characterization of SiC materials suffering from a cyclic thermal shock history. SiC materials were fabricated by a liquid phase sintering process (LPS) associated with hot pressing, using a commercial submicron SiC powder. In the materials, a complex mixture of $Al_2O_3$ and $Y_2O_3$ powders was used as a sintering additive for the densification of the microstructure. Both the microstructure and mechanical properties of the sintered SiC materials were investigated using SEM, XRD, and a three point bending test. The SiC materials had a high density of about 3.12 Mg/m3 and an excellent flexural strength of about 700 MPa, accompanying the creation of a secondary phase in the microstructure. The SiC materials exhibited a rapid propagation of cracks with an increase in the thermal shock temperature. The flexural strength of the SiC materials was greatly decreased at thermal shock temperatures higher than $700^{\circ}C$, due to the creation of microcracks and their propagation. In addition, the SiC materials had a clear tendency for a variation in the attenuation coefficient in ultrasonic waves with an increase in thermal shock cycles.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.8
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• pp.775-779
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• 2010

Functionally graded materials (FGM) of PSZ/NiCrAlY on Inconel substrate were fabricated by detonation gun spraying method. A thick ceramic layer generally has a high thermal barrier effect however, because failure often occurs, the use of an FGM layer gives an advantage in thermal property. During the thermal shock test, micro fracture processes were detected by the AE method. Also, the thermal shock test was performed for NFGM, FGM and the changed FGM in the layered composition profile. It was found through AE testing and the observation of fracture surface that FGM was superior to NFGM in thermal shock properties. The linear or metal-rich type FGM in composition profile had the best resisting property among the FGM. It was found that the controlled composition profile of the graded layers had better thermal properties.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1189-1196
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• 2001

The objective of this paper is to investigate the applicability of acoustic emission(AE) technique to monitor the progress of the thermal shock damage on alumina ceramic. For this purpose, alumina ceramic specimen was heated in the furnace and then was quenched in the water tank. When the specimen was quenched in the water tank, complex AE signals due to the initiation of micro-cracks and boiling effect were generated by the progress of thermal shock damage. These mixed AE signals have to be classified for monitoring the degree of the thermal shock damage of alumina ceramics. In this paper, the mixed AE signals generated from both the boiling effect and the crack initiation under thermal shock test was analyzed. The characteristics of AE signals were also discussed by considering the variation of bending strength and Yongs modulus of specimens.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.90-96
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• 2011

In this study, the characteristic of fractured portion and shape on solder joints were investigated according to the thermal shock test for Automotive Application Component using Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu solder, which has a outstanding property as Lead-free solder. The value of pull and shear strength was decreased in principle after 432 cycles thermal shock test. In addition, fracture mode was verified by using EDS and SEM to observe fractured shape on the solder joints before and after thermal shock. In before thermal shock test, the fracture mode revealed typically solder layer's fracture mode. In after thermal shock test, we identified multiple fracture mode of the ductile and brittle fracture. Even though same composition of solder was used to experimental for estimating. the fracture mode varied on the fracture portion's height and the directional angles of shear strength. In conclusion, we identified that mechanical strength was affected on the solder layer's fracture mode.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.79-82
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• 2005

In this study, mechanical properties of carbon fabrics composite under the thermal shock cycling were evaluated. Due to the interactions between fiber and polymer matrix, it is reasonable to conclude that both thermal cycles of thermal shock result in improvement of interlaminar shear strength(ILSS) for the longer conditioning time duration. The rise in ILSS may be attributed to the improved adhesion by cryogenic compressive stress and also by the post-curing strengthening effect. However, the flexural and tensile strength were decreased with increasing conditioning time of thermal cycle.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.209-210
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• 2009

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.115-125
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• 1984

Effect of magnetic field on the thermal instability is studied in the radiatively cooling region behind an interstellar shock of moderate propagation velocity (${\sim}10\;km/sec$). It is shown that the presence of interstellar magnetic field of a few micro gauss is very effective in preventing the thermal instability from building-up density concentration. In the absence of magnetic field, the shock-induced thermal instability amplifies preshock density inhomogeneity by more than an order of magnitude. However, in the presence of magnetic field, the amplified density contrast is shown to be only a factor 2.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.314-322
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• 2017

This study investigates changes in the mechanical behavior, such as changes in indentation load-displacement curve, wear resistance and contact fatigue resistance of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) by thermal cycling test and thermal shock test. Relatively dense and porous TBCs on nickel-based bondcoat/superalloy are prepared; the highest temperature applied during thermal durability test is $1350^{\circ}C$. The results indicate that the porous TBCs have relatively longer lifetime during thermal cycling and thermal shock tests, while denser TBCs have relatively higher wear and contact fatigue resistance. The mechanical behavior is influenced by sintering of the TBCs by exposure to high temperature during tests.