Shingo Date

A Study on Fatigue and Creep-Fatigue Life Assessment Using Cyclic Thermal Tests With Mod.9Cr-1Mo Steel Structures

In a component design at elevated temperature, fatigue and creep-fatigue is one of the most important failure modes, and fatigue and creep-fatigue life assessment in structural discontinuities is important issue to evaluate structural integrity of the components. Therefore, to assess the failure estimation methods, cyclic thermal loading tests with two kinds of cylindrical models with thick part were performed by using an induction heating coil and pressurized cooling air. In the tests, crack initiation and propagation processes at stress concentration area were observed by replica method. Besides those, finite element analysis (FEA) was carried out to estimate the number of cycles to failure. In the first test, a shorter life than predicted based on axisymmetric analysis. Through the 3 dimensional FEA, Vickers hardness test and deformation measurements after the test, it was suggested that inhomogeneous temperature distribution in hoop direction resulted in such precocious failure. Then, the second test was performed after improvement of temperature distribution. As a result, the crack initiation life was in a good agreement with the FEA result by considering the short term compressive holding. Through these test and FEA results, fatigue and creep-fatigue life assessment methods of Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel including evaluation of cyclic thermal loading, short term compressive holding and failure criterion, were discussed. In addition it was pointed out that the temperature condition should be carefully controlled and measured in the structural test with Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel structure.Copyright

Creep Strength Evaluation of Welded Joint Made of Modified 9Cr-1Mo Steel for Japanese Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor (JSFR)

This paper describes a proposal of provisional allowable stress for the welded joints made of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel (ASME Gr.91) applicable to the structural design of Japanese Sodium cooled Fast Reactor (JSFR). For the early commercialization of the SFRs, economic competitiveness is one of the most essential requirements. One of the most practical means to reduce the construction costs is to diminish the total amount of structural materials. To meet the requirements, modified 9Cr-1Mo steel has attractive characteristics as a main structural material of SFRs, because the steel has both excellent thermal properties and high temperature strength. Employing the steel to the main pipe material, remarkable compact plant design can be achieved. There is only one elbow in the hot leg pipe of the primary circuit. However, in such a compact piping, it is difficult to keep enough distance between welded joint and high stress portion. In the welded joints of creep strength enhanced ferritic steels including ASME Gr.91 (modified 9Cr-1Mo) steel, creep strength may obviously degrade especially in long-term region. This phenomenon is known as “Type-IV” damage. Though obvious strength degradation has not observed at 550°C yet for the welded joint made of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel, it is proper to suppose strength degradation must take place in very long-term creep. Therefore, taking strength degradation due to “Type-IV” damage into account, the allowable stress applicable to JSFR pipe design was proposed based on creep rupture test data acquired in temperature accelerated conditions. Available creep rupture test data of welded joints made of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel provided by Japanese steel vender were collected. The database was analyzed by region partition method. The creep rupture data were divided into two regions of short-term and long-term and those were individually evaluated by regression analyses with Larson Miller Parameter (LMP). Boundary condition between short-term and long-term was half of 0.2% proof stress of base metal at corresponding temperature. First order equation of logarithm stress was applied. For conservativeness, allowable stress was proposed provisionally considering design factor for each region. Present design of JSFR hot leg pipe of primary circuit was evaluated using the proposed allowable stress. As a result, it was successfully demonstrated that the compact pipe design was assured. For validation of the provisional allowable stress, a series of long-term creep tests were started. In future, the provisional allowable stress will be properly reexamined when longer creep rupture data are obtained. In addition, some techniques to improve the performance of welded joints were surveyed and introduced.Copyright

A Study for Proposal of Welded Joint Strength Reduction Factors of Modified 9Cr-1Mo Steel for Japan Sodium Cooled Fast Reactor (JSFR)

This paper proposes provisional welded joint strength reduction factors (WJSRF) of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel (ASME Gr.91) applicable to the structural designing of “Japan sodium cooled fast reactor (JSFR)”. In the welded joints of creep strength enhanced ferritic steels including modified 9Cr-1Mo steel, creep strength may obviously degrade especially in long-term region. This phenomenon is known as “Type-IV” damage. The authors had proposed provisional allowable stress for the welded joints made of the steel in PVP 2010 conference, taking creep strength degradation due to “Type-IV” damage into account. Available creep rupture data of the welded joints made of the steel provided by Japanese steel venders were collected. The temperature range was from 500 to 650°C. The database was analyzed by stress range partitioning method. The creep rupture data were divided into two regions of short-term and long-term and those were individually evaluated by regression analyses with Larson Miller Parameter (LMP). The difference in the creep failure mechanisms between short-term and long-term regions is taken into account in this method. Boundary between these regions was half of 0.2% proof stress of the base metal at corresponding temperature. First order polynomial equation of logarithm stress was applied. For conservativeness, allowable stress was proposed provisionally considering design factor for each region. JSME (Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers) published a revised version of the elevated temperature design code in last year. Modified 9Cr-1Mo steel was officially registered in the code as a new structural material for sodium cooled fast reactors. The creep rupture curve for the base metal of the steel was standardized by employing stress range partitioning method, same as for the welded joint. However, second order polynomial equation of logarithm stress was applied in the analysis for the base metal. In addition, the creep rupture data obtained at 700°C were included in the database and data ruptured in very short term, i.e. smaller than 100 hours, were excluded from the analysis. Thus, there are some differences between the procedures to determine the creep rupture curves for base metal and welded joint made of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel. This paper discusses the most feasible procedure to determine the creep rupture curve of the welded joint of the steel by performing some case studies to focus on physical adequacy and harmonization with the determination procedure of the creep rupture curve for the base metal. Then, the WJSRF are provisionally proposed based on the design creep rupture stress intensities. In addition, the design of JSFR pipes was reviewed taking WJSRF into account.Copyright

Verification of the Estimation Methods of Strain Range in Notched Specimens Made of Mod.9Cr-1Mo Steel

Several methods of estimating strain range at a structural discontinuity have been developed in order to assess component reliability. In a component design at elevated temperature, estimation of strain range is required to evaluate the fatigue and creep-fatigue damage. Therefore, estimation of strain range is one of the most important issues when evaluating the integrity of a component during its lifetimes. To verify the methods of estimating strain range for discontinuous structures, low cycle fatigue tests were carried out with notched specimens. All the specimens were made of Mod.9Cr-1Mo steel, because it is a candidate material for a primary and secondary heat transport system components of Japan Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (JSFR). Displacement control fatigue tests and thermal fatigue tests were performed by ordinary uniaxial push–pull test machine and equipment generating the thermal gradient in the notched plate by induction heating. Several notch radii were employed to vary the stress concentration level in both kinds of tests. Crack initiation and propagation process during the tests were observed by a digital microscope and the replica method to define the failure cycles. Elastic and inelastic finite element analyses were also performed to estimate strain range for predicting fatigue life. Then, these predictions were compared with the test results. Several methods such as stress redistribution locus (SRL) method, simple elastic follow-up (SEF) method, Neubers law, and the procedures employed by elevated temperature design codes were applied. Through these comparisons, the applicability and conservativeness of these strain range estimation methods, which is the basis of the fatigue and creep-fatigue life prediction, are discussed.

Verification of the Prediction Methods of Strain Range in Notched Specimens Made of Mod.9Cr-1Mo

Several innovative prediction methods of strain range have been developed in order to apply to the Generation IV plants. In a component design at elevated temperature, ‘strain range’ is used to calculate the fatigue and creep-fatigue damage. Therefore, prediction of ‘strain range’ is one of the most important issues to evaluate the components’ integrity during these lifetimes. To verify the strain prediction method of discontinues structures at evaluated temperature, low cycle fatigue tests were carried out with notched specimens. All the specimens were made of Mod.9Cr-1Mo, because it is a candidate material for a primary and secondary heat transports system components of JSFR (Japanese Sodium Fast Reactor). Deformation control fatigue tests and thermal fatigue tests were performed by ordinary uni-axial push-pull test machine and equipment generating the thermal gradient in the notched plate by induction heating. Stress concentration level was changed by varying the notch radius in the both kind of tests. Crack initiation and propagation process during the fatigue test were observed by the digital micro-scope and replica method. Elastic and inelastic FEAs were also carried out to estimate the ‘strain range’ for the prediction of fatigue life. Then the ranges of several strain predictions and estimations were compared with the test results. These predictions were based on the sophisticated technique to estimate the ‘strain range’ from elastic FEA. Stress reduction locus (SRL) method, simple elastic follow-up method, Neuber’s rule method and the methods supplied by elevated temperature design standards were applied. Through these results, the applicability and conservativeness of these strain prediction and estimation methods, which is the basis of the creep-fatigue life prediction, is discussed.Copyright

Development of High Chromium Steel for SFR in Japan and Creep-Fatigue Assessment of the Welded Joint

This paper describes the provisional material specifications of the high chromium (Cr) ferritic steel for the Sodium cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) and development of creep-fatigue assessment procedure for the welded joint made of the steel. Based on the test results, it was revealed that tungsten (W) should be diminished to achieve better creep-fatigue strength and toughness after long term aging at elevated temperature. Metallurgical examinations using a scanning electron microscope showed that W precipitated on the grain boundaries as “Laves phase” during aging process. The toughness of the steel which contained much W might be degraded by such coarse precipitations on the grain boundaries. As a result, provisional specifications of the high Cr ferritic steel for SFR pipes and tubes were proposed. Creep-fatigue strength assessment procedure for the welded joints made of the steels was also investigated. An assessment procedure using 2-element model was proposed and verified by comparing with some creep-fatigue test results. The creep-fatigue lives observed in the experiments were well predicted by the proposed assessment procedure, but the failure of the welded joints really occurred in the heat affected zone (HAZ) in some creep-fatigue tests. Since the HAZ was not taken into account in the procedure, there were obviously some rooms for improvement. Creep-fatigue failure mechanisms of the welded joint must be investigated and the characteristics of the HAZ must be formulated for more precise creep-fatigue strength assessment.Copyright

High Temperature Fatigue Properties of the 316 FR Steel

Type 316 FR stainless steel has been developed as a candidate material for fast breeder reactor of next century. For the structural integrity design of high temperature components including reactor vessel, long-term data and analysis method are investigated for the new 316 FR steel especially to evaluate its time-dependent low-cycle fatigue behavior. The present paper reports dependencies of fatigue life on the strain rate from 10-2 to 10-5S-1, and on the temperature dependencies from 500°C to 600°C. Data are analized by a parametric method formerly proposed by the authors. It is shown that the method has a good predictability of the fatigue life up to very low strain rate of 10-6S-1.