Pekka Nevasmaa

Evolution of the Charpy-V test from a quality control test to a materials evaluation tool for structural integrity assessment

Abstract Originally, the Charpy-V test was used mainly as a quality control test. However, after World War II, with the development of the transition temperature philosophy, the Charpy-V test evolved into a tool for material selection and toughness evaluation. With the development of fracture mechanics, further evolution of the interpretation of the Charpy-V test has made it a quantitative materials evaluation tool for fracture mechanics based structural integrity assessment. This presentation will give an outline of the evolution of the Charpy-V test, focussing on the latest developments regarding its use in structural integrity assessment.

Microstructural Characterization of Alloy 52 Narrow-Gap Dissimilar Metal Weld After Aging

The safe-end dissimilar metal weld (DMW) joining the reactor pressure vessel to the main coolant piping is one of the most critical DMWs in a nuclear power plant (NPP). DMWs have varying microstructures at a short distance across the ferritic-austenitic fusion boundary (FB) region. This microstructural variation affects the mechanical properties and fracture behavior and may evolve as a result of thermal aging during long-term operation of an NPP. This paper presents microstructural characterization performed for as-manufactured and 5000 h and 10,000 h thermally aged narrow-gap DMW representing a safe-end DMW of a modern pressurized water reactor (PWR) NPP. The most significant result of the study is that the thermal aging leads to a significant decrease in a hardness gradient observed across the ferritic-austenitic FB of the as-manufactured DMW.

Fracture Toughness Transferability Study Between the Master Curve Method and a Pressure Vessel Nozzle Using Local Approach

Local approach methods are to greater extent used in structural integrity evaluation, in particular with respect to initiation of an unstable cleavage crack. However, local approach methods have had a tendency to be considered as methodologies with ‘qualitative’ potential, rather than quantitative usage in realistic analyses where lengthy and in some cases ambiguous calibration of local approach parameters is not feasible. As such, studies need to be conducted to illustrate the usability of local approach methods in structural integrity analyses and improve upon the transferability of their intrinsic, material like, constitutive parameters. Improvements of this kind can be attained by constructing improved models utilizing state of the art numerical simulation methods and presenting consistent calibration methodologies for the constitutive parameters. The current study investigates the performance of a modified Beremin model by comparing integrity evaluation results of the local approach model to those attained by using the constraint corrected Master Curve methodology. Current investigation applies the Master Curve method in conjunction with the T-stress correction of the reference temperature and a modified Beremin model to an assessment of a three-dimensional pressure vessel nozzle in a spherical vessel end. The material information for the study is extracted from the ‘Euro-Curve’ ductile to brittle transition region fracture toughness round robin test program. The experimental results are used to determine the Master Curve reference temperature and calibrate local approach parameters. The values are then used to determine the cumulative failure probability of cleavage crack initiation in the model structure. The results illustrate that the Master Curve results with the constraint correction are to some extent more conservative than the results attained using local approach. The used methodologies support each other and indicate that with the applied local approach and Master Curve procedures reliable estimates of structural integrity can be attained for complex material behavior and structural geometries.© 2003 ASME

Effect of thermal aging on fracture mechanical properties and crack propagation behavior of alloy 52 narrow-gap dissimilar metal weld

Determination of the fracture toughness properties and thermal aging behavior of dissimilar metal weld (DMW) joints is of utmost importance for successful structural integrity and lifetime analyses. This paper presents results from fracture resistance (J-R), fracture toughness (T0) and Charpy-V impact toughness tests as well as fractography performed for an industrially manufactured narrow-gap DMW mock-up (SA508-Alloy 52-AISI 316L). Tests were performed on post-weld heat treated, 5000 h aged and 10,000 h aged material. The results show that this DMW is tough at the SA 508-Alloy 52 interface, which typically is the weakest zone of a DMW. The DMW joint maintains its high fracture resistance also after thermal aging. Crack propagates for a large part in the carbon-depleted zone (CDZ) of SA 508 but deflects occasionally to the Alloy 52 side due to small weld defects in µm scale. Ductile-to-brittle transition temperature determined from Charpy-V impact toughness tests increases due to thermal aging, but only to a minor extent. No significant change is observed for the T0 transition temperature due to aging.