Abstract
Fracture mechanics analysis for cracked pipes is essential for applying the leak-before-break (LBB) concept to nuclear piping design. For LBB assessment, crack instability and leak rate should be predicted accurately for through-wall cracked pipes. In a nuclear piping system, elbows are connected with straight pipes by circumferential welding; this weld region is often considered a critical location. Hence, accurate crack assessment is necessary for cracks in the interface between elbows and straight pipes. In this study, the stress intensity factor (SIF) and elastic crack opening displacement (COD) were estimated through detailed 3D elastic finite element (FE) analyses. Based on the results, closed-form solutions of shape factors for calculating the SIFs and elastic CODs were proposed for circumferential through-wall cracks in the abovementioned interfaces under internal pressure. In addition, the effect of the elbow on shape factors was investigated by comparing the results with the existing solutions for a straight pipe.
| Translated title of the contribution | Closed-Form Solutions for Stress Intensity Factor and Elastic Crack Opening Displacement for Circumferential Through-Wall Cracks in the Interface between an Elbow and a Straight Pipe under Internal Pressure |
|---|---|
| Original language | Korean |
| Pages (from-to) | 553-560 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | 한국생산제조시스템학회지 |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 2015 |