Stress Intensity Factor Handbook: Comparison of RSEM and ASME XI Codes

Abstract

For fracture mechanic applications at design level or during operation the basic parameter used is the elastic stress intensity factor K. This stress intensity factor can be evaluated through different methods: formulas, influence or weight functions or direct elastic finite element analysis of the cracked structure. After a brief review of available methods to develop elastic analysis of the fracture mechanic parameter K (stress intensity factor), this paper will compare French RSE-M Appendix 5 handbook and corresponding ASME-XI draft Appendix A-3000 handbook under development for cylindrical cracked structures (pipes or vessels) in a first step. In a future step, other structures (elbows, thickness variation…) and other crack types or locations will be considered. The cross reference validations and the technical white papers will be discussed in the paper. A short overview of plasticity corrections proposed by these 2 different Codes will be presented, compared and discussed in accordance with the validation analysis available. Finally, some differences between these 2 handbooks can have important safety consequences in their practical applications, some over-conservatism have to be better understand and will be discussed in term of consequences on different practical applications, like fatigue or corrosion crack growth, or critical crack size in brittle or ductile regime of nuclear components.