EVALUATION OF K-TYPE BUTT WELDS USING FRACTURE-MECHANICS TECHNIQUES

A quality assessment procedure based on fracture mechanics approach is analytically developed for the assessment of the most probable defect detected by the NDT techniques in the case of K-type butt welds. The critical defect size and the maximum allowable initially existing sub- critical defect size which may grow to the critical size during the de signed service life are computed. These assessments are very much help ful for the realistic evaluation of the component.