Failure Assessment Curves for Reactor Pressure Vessels

Abstract

This paper describes failure assessment curves of a pressure vessel of boiling water reactor containing a longitudinal surface crack at an inner surface. The failure assessment curves are derived from the J-integral based on the deformation theory of plasticity using the stress-strain curves of low alloy steel A508cl.3. The authors have made clear the dependence of failure assessment curve on crack geometry and compared with the curve for ferritic steel pipes given in the ASME Code Case N-494. Detail discussions are shown in the following.