Abstract
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is conducting a
series of numerical analyses to simulate a large scale mock-up
experiment planned within the European Network for Structural
Integrity for Lifetime Management – non-RPV Components
(STYLE). STYLE is a European cooperative effort to assess the
structural integrity of (non-reactor pressure vessel) reactor
coolant pressure boundary components relevant to ageing and
life-time management and to integrate the knowledge created in
the project into mainstream nuclear industry assessment codes.
ORNL contributes “work-in-kind” support to STYLE Work
Package 2 (Numerical Analysis/Advanced Tools) and Work
Package 3 (Engineering Assessment Methods/LBB Analyses).
This paper summarizes the current status of ORNL
analyses of the STYLE Mock-Up3 large-scale experiment to
simulate and evaluate crack growth in a cladded ferritic pipe.
The analyses are being performed in two parts. In the first part,
advanced fracture mechanics models are being developed and
performed to evaluate several experiment designs taking into
account the capabilities of the test facility while satisfying the
test objectives. Then these advanced fracture mechanics models
will be utilized to simulate the crack growth in the large scale
mock-up test. For the second part, the recently developed ORNL SIAM-PFM open-source, cross-platform, probabilistic
computational tool will be used to generate an alternative
assessment for comparison with the advanced fracture mechanics
model results. The SIAM-PFM probabilistic analysis of the
Mock-Up3 experiment will utilize fracture modules that are
installed into a general probabilistic framework. The probabilistic
results of the Mock-Up3 experiment obtained from
SIAM-PFM will be compared to those results generated using
the deterministic 3D nonlinear finite-element modeling
approach. The objective of the probabilistic analysis is to provide
uncertainty bounds that will assist in assessing the more
detailed 3D finite-element solutions and to also assess the level
of confidence that can be placed in the best-estimate finiteelement
solutions.
