1994 Volume 43 Issue 493 Pages 1200-1205
In the development of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs), structural integrity must be assured for components subjected to high temperatures up to 550°C, even though possible defects are presumed. Nonlinear fracture mechanics is one of the most effective approaches to evaluate ductile fracture behavior of cracked components. In this study, ductile fracture tests were conducted at room temperature and 550°C for austenitic stainless steel SUS304 and 316FR, which were candidates for FBR structural material. The applicability of fracture parameters was investigated from tests using small CT specimens, small CCT specimens, and wide CCT specimens. Fracture tests under the condition of combined tension and bending loads were also performed to investigate the effect of additional bending stress due to the temperature gradient through thickness. It was ascertained that fracture load could be predicted based on the net section collapse criterion and was not so affected by an additional bending stress.
