Improving the Computational Analysis of Stress-Strain State and Fracture Resistance of Welded Joints Between Coolant Headers and PGV-1000M Steam Generator Vessel of Nuclear Power Station

• Published in: Strength of materials Vol. 49; no. 3; pp. 349 - 360
• Main Authors: Kharchenko, V. V., Chirkov, A. Yu, Kobel’skii, S. V., Kravchenko, V. I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-05-2017; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Boilers; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Damage assessment; Deformation; Design defects; Fracture toughness; Fractures (Injuries); Headers; Materials Science; Nuclear electric power generation; Nuclear energy; Nuclear power plants; Scientific and Technical Section; Solid Mechanics; Steam electric power generation; Strain; Stress analysis; Stress-strain relationships; Surface defects; Welded joints; Welding; defect; fracture resistance; finite element method; stress intensity factor; elastic-plastic deformation; steam generator; predicted crack; welded joint; loading history
• ISSN: 0039-2316; 1573-9325
• DOI: 10.1007/s11223-017-9875-3

The authors have outlined methodological principles and a procedure of performing the updated analysis of stress-strain state and fracture resistance of welded joints between coolant headers and PGV-1000M steam generator vessel. The paper gives the results of the elastic-plastic fracture resistance analysis of a welded joint containing variously shaped surface defects, in modeling a design operation cycle and an accident situation. According to the data obtained, the deformation loading history, residual technological stresses, and inclusion of surface damages have a significant effect on the design assessment of fracture resistance of a welding joint. It has been shown that the conventional linearly elastic calculation of fracture resistance of welded joints has an inadequate degree of conservatism and thus overestimates strength of the joints.