Comparison of finite element and influence function methods for three-dimensional elastic analysis of boiling water reactor feedwater nozzle cracks

Abstract

The paper compares the finite element (FE) and influence function (IF) methods for a three-dimensional elastic analysis of postulated circular-shaped surface cracks in the feedwater nozzle of a typical boiling water reactor (BWR). The FE method is incorporated in a direct manner. The nozzle and crack geometry and the complex loading are all included in the model which simulates the structural crack problem. The IF method is used to compute stress intensity factors only when the uncracked stress field (that is, the stress in the uncracked solid at the locus of the crack to be eventually considered) has been computed previously. The IF method evaluates correctly the disturbance of this uncracked stress field caused by the crack by utilizing a method of elastic superposition. Both the IF and FE methods are described in detail in the paper and are applied to several test cases chosen for their similarity to the nozzle crack problem and for the availability of an accurate published result obtained from some recognized third method of solution. Results are given which summarize both the accuracy and the direct computer costs of the two methods.