Dg. Hooton et B. Tomkins, THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY CRITERIA FOR AUSTENITIC COMPONENTS, International journal of pressure vessels and piping, 65(3), 1996, pp. 311-316
The high ductility and resistance to tearing of austenitic stainless s
teels, allied to the geometry and loading conditions of the European f
ast reactor (EFR), result in the prediction of large critical through-
thickness crack sizes for EFR components. Based on this understanding
of large critical crack sizes, simplified methods have been developed
for the assessment of the leak-before-break behaviour of these compone
nts. The methods described avoid the need for detailed analysis of cra
ck shape development during cyclic loading, and thus greatly reduce th
e calculational requirements compared with more common methods used fo
r the assessment of known or postulated defects in high energy pressur
ised components. Simplifications used in the assessment of leak-tightn
ess in EFR components are also identified.