A Practical Method Based on Stress Evaluation (σd Criterion) to Predict Initiation of Crack Under Creep and Creep-Fatigue Conditions

Abstract

The behavior of defects like cracks in nuclear components operating at high temperature, where creep is significant, must be under control. There exists the need to have a practical method of analysis, which can be used by engineers, to calculate the time of initiation for defects existing at the start of life of nuclear components. This study presents the background, the development, the application, and results concerning validation work made for a simplified method named σd of prediction of initiation for nuclear structures made of 316L austenitic steel and operating at temperature where creep is significant. This method relies on the evaluation of real stress-strain history on a small distance d (d = 0.05 mm) close to the crack front and material characteristics (limiting stresses) that are available in nuclear codes like ASME Code cases or RCC-MR.