Corrosion fatigue crack growth behaviour of low-alloy reactor pressure vessel steels under boiling water reactor conditions

The corrosion fatigue crack growth behaviour of different low-alloy reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels and weld filler/heat-affected zone materials was systematically characterized under simulated boiling water reactor normal water and hydrogen water chemistry conditions by low-frequency fatigue tests with pre-cracked fracture mechanics specimens. The experiments were performed in oxygenated or hydrogenated high-purity or sulphate/chloride containing water at temperatures from 150 to 288 °C.In this paper, the observed synergistic effects of environmental, material and loading parameters on the environmental acceleration of fatigue crack growth in low-alloy RPV steels are discussed in the context of the Ford–Andresen model. Additionally, the adequacy and conservatism of the current “ASME XI reference fatigue crack growth curves” of the ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code are critically reviewed and assessed on the basis of the gathered experimental data base and this model. Based on the observed cracking behaviour and the Ford–Andresen model, a simple time-domain superposition model is suggested, which could reduce most of the undue conservatism and eliminate uncertainties of the existing codes and therefore serve as a basis for the development of improved reference fatigue crack growth curves.