Stress intensity factor solutions for surface cracks with large aspect ratios in cylinders and plates

Abstract

In recent years, a large number of surface cracks caused by stress corrosion cracking (SCC) have been reported in dissimilar metal welds of light water reactors. For some of these cracks, the depth (a) is greater than the half-length (l/2). Upon the detection of cracks, the integrity of cracked components should be assessed in accordance with the fitness-for-service (FFS) codes such as the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section XI or JSME code of Rules on Fitness-for-Service for Nuclear Power Plants. Current FFS codes provide SIF solutions of surface cracks with small aspect ratios (i.e. a/l ≤ 0.5) only. For the integrity assessment of components with surface cracks of large aspect ratios (i.e. a/l > 0.5), it is necessary to develop the SIF solutions for those cracks. This study calculates the SIF solutions of surface cracks with aspect ratios of 0.5 ≤ a/l ≤ 4 in both cylinders and plates by characterizing the cracks as rectangular shaped ones. Finite element simulations are performed to develop the database of SIF solutions for rectangular shaped surface cracks subjected to a 4th order polynomial stress distribution. Additionally, the universal weight function method (UWFM) in calculating the SIF solutions of rectangular shaped surface cracks with large aspect ratios is investigated. Example SIF calculations for rectangular shaped surface cracks subject to residual stress were conducted using the UWFM. The SIF solutions calculated by the UWFM are compared with those from the finite element simulations to show the effectiveness of the UWFM.