• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.24 no.5 s.176
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• pp.1331-1342
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• 2000

In power generation systems a variety of structural components typically operate at high temperature and pressure. Therefore a life assessment methodology accounting for gradual creep fracture is increasingly needed for these components. The most critical defects in such structure are generally found in the form of semi-elliptical surface cracks in the welded tubular joints. Therefore the analysis of a semi-elliptical surface crack in a plate or a shell is an important problem in engineering fracture mechanics. On this background, via shell/line-spring finite element analyses of such surface cracks in the welded T and L joints under various loadings, we investigate J-integral along the crack front We first develop T and L joints auto mesh generation program providing ABAQUS input file composed of shell/line-spring finite elements. We then further develop a T and L joints life assessment program based on the experimental creep crack growth law and auto mesh generation program in a graphical user interface format Finally the remaining life of T and L joints for various analytical parameters are assessed using the developed life assessment program.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.581-598
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• 2020

This paper aims to investigate the seismic behavior and influence parameters of the large-scaled thin-walled reinforced concrete (RC) tubular columns in air-cooled supporting structures of thermal power plants (TPPs). Cyclic loading tests and finite element analysis were performed on 1/8-scaled specimens considering the influence of wall diameter ratio, axial compression ratio, longitudinal reinforcement ratio, stirrup reinforcement ratio and adding steel diagonal braces (SDBs). The research results showed that the cracks mainly occurred on the lower half part of RC tubular columns during the cyclic loading test; the specimen with the minimum wall diameter ratio presented the earlier cracking and had the most cracks; the failure mode of RC tubular columns was large bias compression failure; increasing the axial compression ratio could increase the lateral bearing capacity and energy dissipation capacity, but also weaken the ductility and aggravate the lateral stiffness deterioration; increasing the longitudinal reinforcement ratio could efficiently enhance the seismic behavior; increasing the stirrup reinforcement ratio was favorable to the ductility; RC tubular columns with SDBs had a much higher bearing capacity and lateral stiffness than those without SDBs, and with the decrease of the angle between columns and SDBs, both bearing capacity and lateral stiffness increased significantly.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.454-460
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• 2015

Acoustic emission (AE) is one of the promising methods for detecting the formation of stress corrosion cracks (SCCs) in laboratory tests. This method has the advantage of online inspection. Some studies have been conducted to investigate the characteristics of AE parameters during SCC propagation. However, it is difficult to classify the distinct features of SCC behavior. Because the previous studies were performed on slow strain rate test or compact tension specimens, it is difficult to make certain correlations between AE signals and actual SCC behavior in real tube-type specimens. In this study, the specimen was a AISI 304 stainless steel tube widely applied in the nuclear industry, and an accelerated test was conducted at high temperature and pressure with a corrosive environmental condition. The study result indicated that intense AE signals were mainly detected in the elastic deformation region, and a good correlation was observed between AE activity and crack growth. By contrast, the behavior of accumulated counts was divided into four regions. According to the waveform analysis, a specific waveform pattern was observed during SCC development. It is suggested that AE can be used to detect and monitor SCC initiation and propagation in actual tubes.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.102-107
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• 2001

Interfacial cracks between an isotropic and orthotropic material, subjected to static far field tensile loading are analyzed using the technique of photoelasticity. The fracture parameters are extracted from the full-field isochromatic data and the same are compared with that obtained using boundary collocation method. Dynamic Photoelasticity combined with high-speed digital photography is employed for capturing the isochromatics in the case of propagating interfacial cracks. The normalized stress intensity factors for static crack is greater when $\alpha=90^{\circ}C$ (fibers perpendicular to the interface) than when $\alpha=0^{\circ}C$ (fiber parallel to the interface) and those when $\alpha=90^{\circ}C$ are similar to ones of isotropic material. The dynamic stress intensity factors for interfacial propagating crack are greater when $\alpha=0^{\circ}C$ than $\alpha=90^{\circ}C$. The relationship between complex dynamic stress intensity factor $|K_D|$ and crack speed C is similar to that for isotropic homogeneous materials, the rate of increase of energy release rate G or $|K_D|$ with crack speed is not as drastic as that reported for homogeneous materials.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.72 no.5
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• pp.585-595
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• 2019

Foundations are a vital part of structures. Over time, the foundations can deteriorate due to unforeseen overloads and/or settlements, resulting in the appearance of cracks in the concrete. These cracks produce changes in the static and dynamic behavior of the affected foundation, which alter its load carrying capacity. In this work, non-destructive techniques of relative simplicity of application are presented for the detection, location, and quantification of damage, using numerical models, solved with the finite element method and Power Series. For this, two types of parameters are used: static (displacement and elastic curvature) and dynamics (natural frequencies). In the static analysis, the damage detection is done by means of a finite elements model representing a beam supported on an elastic foundation with a discrete crack that varies in length and location. With regard to dynamic analysis, the governing equations of the model are presented and a method based on Power Series is used to obtain the solution for a data set, which could be the Winkler coefficient, the location of the crack or the frequency. In order to validate the proposed methodologies, these techniques are applied to data obtained from laboratory tests.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2003

Based on detailed FE limit analyses, the present paper provides tractable approximations fer plastic limit pressure solutions fur axially through-wall-cracked pipe; axially (inner) surface-cracked pipe; circumferentially through-wall-cracked pipe; and circumferentially (inner) surface-cracked pipe. In particular, for surface crack problems, the effect of the crack shape, the semi-elliptical shape or the rectangular shape, on the limit pressure is quantified. Comparisons with existing analytical and empirical solutions show a large discrepancy in circumferential short through-wall cracks and in surface cracks (both axial and circumferential). Being based on detailed 3-D FE limit analysis, the present solutions are believed to be the most accurate, and thus to be valuable information not only for plastic collapse analysis of pressurised piping but also for estimating non-linear fracture mechanics parameters based on the reference stress approach.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.793-813
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• 2015

Characterization of discontinuous media is an endeavor that poses great challenge to engineers in practice. Since the inherent defects in cracked domains can substantially influence material resistance and govern its behavior, a lot of work is dedicated to efficiently model such effects. In order to overcome difficulties of material instability problems, one needs to comprehensively represent the geometry of cracks along with their impact on the mechanical properties of the intact material. In the present study, stress-strain results from laboratory experiments on Inada granite was used to derive crack tensor as a tool for the evaluation of fractured domain stability. It was found that the formulations proposed earlier could satisfactorily be employed to attain crack tensor via the invariants of which judgment on cracks population and induced anisotropy is possible. The earlier criteria based on crack tensor analyses were reviewed and compared to the results of the current study. It is concluded that the geometrical parameters calculated using mechanical properties could confidently be used to judge the anisotropy as well as strength of the cracked domain.

• Bulletin of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.100-106
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• 1990

Microcracking of type 304 stainless steel at $593^{\circ}C(1,100^{\circ}F)$ has been studied, in particular, initiation, growth, and coalescence of fatigue and creep microcracks on smooth specimens and small notch specimens via surface replicas and photomicrographs. Quantitative information, such as, initiation period, growth, and coalescence behavior, statistical distributions of crack length, density of cracks, distribution patterns and crack growth properties, were obtained. From this study, the fracture process, fatigue life, and creep life prediction characterized by the growth of surface microcracks have been analysed by a new approach unifying the conventional approaches based on the final fracture of materials with the fracture mechanics approach. Knowledge of these parameters is critical for the application of fracture mechanics to fatigue and creep life assessment, and the damage evaluation of structures at elevated temperature.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.103-124
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• 2019

Present study concerns the safety evaluation of SefidRud dam's block No. 18 regarding probable crack propagation in the foundation gallery under a MCE record. Accordingly, a 3D finite element model of the block in companion with the reservoir and the foundation is modeled. All the associated thermal and structural parameters are derived via calibration with the records of thermometers and pendulums installed inside the dam body. The origination of the cracks and their whereabouts are determined by primary thermal and static analyses and through a linear dynamic analysis the potential failure zone and their extent and level are studied. The foundation gallery is the most probable zone among the other intensive tensile stress area to compromise the dam stability. Therefore, the nonlinear analysis of this risky region is inevitable. The results depict the permissible expansion of the cracks inside the gallery even under another future earthquake in MCE level. As a consequence, the general dam performance is assessed safe in spite of the seepage flow rate growth from the gallery fractures.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Structure & Construction
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.3-10
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• 2018

Steel fiber reinforced concrete can improve the resistance to cracking by adding steel fibers when mixing concrete. It can reduce the temperature and shrinkage cracks, and its flexural performance can be improved by increasing the effective moment of inertia. In this study, the deck-plate was used to replace the concrete form and reinforcing bars, and the steel fiber reinforced concrete was used to control the shrinkage and temperature cracks, and improve the flexural performance of the slab. Total 9 slab specimens were tested for analyzing the structural performance and serviceability. As a results, flexural capacity of the slab with deck-plate was evaluated to be superior to that of the normal reinforced concrete slab specimens with the same tensile reinforcement. The steel fiber reinforced concrete was found to have about 8% flexural capacity increase depending on the steel fiber content $15.7kg/m^3$. Also, in terms of flexural stiffness, the specimens using steel fiber reinforced concrete for the same parameters were evaluated to have a stiffness increase of about 30% compared with the case of using ordinary concrete. Especially, it was found that the stiffness of the test results was significantly higher than the analytical result because the increase of the tensile strength of the steel fiber reinforced concrete is not reflected in the current structural code.