Damage Evaluation of Grade 91 Thick Cylinder Under Variable Thermal Cyclic Loading Using Continuum Damage Coupled Viscoplastic Models

Abstract

This study evaluates creep-fatigue damage in the modified Grade 91 thick-cylinder tested by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), to understand the failure mechanism of critical components of Fast Reactor nuclear plants. As modified Grade 91 demonstrated creep-fatigue interaction induced failure mechanisms, finite element analysis of high-temperature components will require a unified constitutive model (UCM) that can simulate various creep-fatigue responses with reasonable accuracy. Hence, a UCM coupled with various advanced modeling features including the continuum damage modeling features is investigated to demonstrate their predictability of the fatigue, creep and creep-fatigue responses of the modified Grade 91 steel. The modified UCM is implemented into ABAQUS for analysis of creep deformation in the thick cylinder benchmark problem. Finite element analysis results are presented to demonstrate how the thermal cycling influences the creep-deformation of this high-temperature component. It is also demonstrated how thermal cycling’s influence on fatigue life can be determined based on the damage variable incorporated in the UCM.