Approximation method for the calculation of stress intensity factors for the semi-elliptical surface flaws on thin-walled cylinder

Abstract

A simple approximation method for the stress intensity factor at the tip of the axial semi-elliptical cracks on the cylindrical vessel is developed. The approximation methods, incorporated in VINTIN (Vessel INTegrity analysis-INner flaws), utilizes the influence coefficients to calculate the stress intensity factor at the crack tip. This method has been compared with other solution methods including 3-D finite element analysis for internal pressure, cooldown, and pressurized thermal shock loading conditions. For these, 3-D finite-element analyses are performed to obtain the stress intensity factors for various surface cracks with t/R=0.1. The approximation solutions are within +/- 2.5% of the those of finite element analysis using symmetric model of one-forth of a vessel under pressure loading, and 1-3% higher under pressurized thermal shock condition. The analysis results confirm that the approximation method provides sufficiently accurate stress intensity factor values for the axial semi-elliptical flaws on the surface of the reactor pressure vessel.