Simulation of stress corrosion cracking behavior in a tube-shaped specimen of nickel-based alloy 600

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) simulation code has been developed for the evaluation of SCC behavior in specimens in the shape of field components. The code utilizes numerical calculation of stress/strain states at a crack tip using finite element methods and a formula describing the crack tip reaction kinetics containing unknown environmental parameters. The applicability of this simulation code was investigated by applying the code to the evaluation of SCC behavior in a mock-up of a bottom mounted instrumentation tube for a pressurized water reactor subjected to complex stress/strain states. The results indicate that crack growth rate in a component suffering from certain environments can be estimated using the developed SCC simulation code with pre-determined unknown parameters, using the experimental crack growth rate data measured on other specimens in the same environment. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.