Optimized J Evaluation Scheme for the Fracture Mechanics Assessment of Complex Piping Systems Subjected to Various Loading Sets

Abstract

This paper describes an optimization scheme for the J parameter calculation of cracks postulated in complex geometrical configurations such as elbow entries/exits and/or thickness transitions. The principle of this scheme comes from the RSE-M/5.4 appendix allowing the definition of a specific compendium for given configurations. After a detailed presentation of the numerical protocol, an illustration of the required effort and the potential benefits is proposed for an elbow configuration. It is then shown that the effort is significant but can be anticipated and automated, but the potential benefit in terms of applied J significant (a ratio of three in the proposed application).