Effects of LWR coolant environments on fatigue lives of austenitic stainless steels

Abstract

The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code fatigue design curves for structural materials do not explicitly address the effects of reactor coolant environments on fatigue life. Recent test data indicate a significant decrease in fatigue life of pressure vessel and piping materials in light water reactor (LWR) environments. Fatigue tests have been conducted on Types 304 and 316NG stainless steel in air and LWR environments to evaluate the effects of various material and loading variables, e.g., steel type, strain rate, dissolved oxygen (DO) in water, and strain range, on fatigue lives of these steels. The results confirm the significant decrease in fatigue life in water. The environmentally assisted decrease in fatigue life depends both on strain rate and DO content in water. A decrease in strain rate from 0.4 to 0.004%/s decreases fatigue life by a factor of {approx} 8. However, unlike carbon and low-alloy steels, environmental effects are more pronounced in low-DO than in high-DO water. At {approx} 0.004%/s strain rate, reduction in fatigue life in water containing <10 ppb D is greater by a factor of {approx} 2 than in water containing {ge} 200 ppb DO. Experimental results have been compared with estimates of fatigue life based on the statistical model. The formation and growth of fatigue cracks in austenitic stainless steels in air and LWR environments are discussed.