Consideration of Environmentally Assisted Fatigue in Austenitic Stainless Steel — Applicability and Comparison of Existing Numerical Procedures

Abstract

Consideration of environmentally assisted fatigue (EAF) is in discussion internationally. In German KTA Rules the effect is taken into account by means of so called attention thresholds. While the laboratory phenomena themselves are being accepted widely, numerical calculation procedures are revised continuously and transition from laboratory to real plant components is not clarified yet. Since NUREG/CR-6909, formulas for calculating the Fen factors have been modified several times. For example in ANL-LWRS47-2011 a new set of formulas was published and slightly revised by ANL in 2012. Various calculation procedures like the strain-integrated method and simplified approach have been published while each approach yields to different results. Beyond this, additional topics like weld factors or plasticity correction factors have to be taken into account. Calculation procedures depending on the level of detail and in the description of loads are yielding to significant variations in the results. Respecting these topics in context of different levels of detail in computational simulations, numerical cumulative usage factor (CUF) evaluation results are likely to differ, depending on the assumptions made. On the basis of a practical example, methods and approaches will be discussed and recommendations in terms of avoiding over-conservatism and misinterpretation will be presented.