Fracture Mechanics
Fracture
mechanics is employed in analyzing and predicting the behavior
of cracked structures. Various technologies are used to calculate
crack growth rates and critical crack sizes for a wide range
of engineering materials, structural geometries and stress
fields.
SI has
applied fracture mechanics in dispositioning flaws in reactor
pressure vessels, piping components and
many other components. Several SI Associates are active members
of ASME Section XI flaw evaluation working groups and have
contributed significantly to the development of flaw evaluation
procedures in the Code.
SI has
developed many specialized computer software products for
use in several fracture mechanics applications including:
pc-CRACK™
for Windows - commercially available general purpose
fracture mechanics software for linear elastic fracture mechanics,
elastic-plastic fracture mechanics and limit load analyses.
APPENDA/MAPPA
- performs vessel flaw evaluation per the requirements
of ASME Code, Section XI.
K-Solver
- numerical tool for analysis prediction of crack-tip
stress intensity factors (Mode I, II and III) in elliptical
or partial elliptical cracks of any orientation in a flat
plate or pipe subjected to arbitrary crack surface loading.
ANSC
- performs net section collapse analysis for arbitrarily-flawed
sections in ductile materials.
RRing-Life
- developed under sponsorship of EPRI for estimation
of probability of failure in generator retaining rings.
Viper
- developed under sponsorship of EPRI to determine
the probability of failure associated with specific in-service
inspection programs.
SI also uses finite element analysis techniques
to perform very specific fracture mechanics evaluations when circumstances warrant.
Related Technical Literature
For more
information, contact SI.
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Alternate
Methods for Evaluating Shroud Cracking Using Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics Techniques