Numerical simulation of crack growth and arrest in a vessel under pressurethermal shock

A study involving crack initiation and arrest sequence for shallow axial cr acks in a welded pressure vessel model subjected to pressurized thermal sho ck has been carried out. The crack initiation-arrest methodology under simp le linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) assumptions is shown to yield a satisfactory estimate of crack growth but consideration of the multiaxiali ty of stress state at crack front, is required for predicting the exact ins tance of initiation and crack jump. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ ts reserved.