Intergranular stress distributions in polycrystalline aggregates of irradiated stainless steel

• Intergranular normal stress distributions are obtained for irradiated stainless steel.
• Distributions are well approximated by a master curve once rescaled by yield stress.
• A methodology to predict IASCC crack initiation is proposed.

In order to predict InterGranular Stress Corrosion Cracking (IGSCC) of post-irradiated austenitic stainless steel in Light Water Reactor (LWR) environment, reliable predictions of intergranular stresses are required. Finite elements simulations have been performed on realistic polycrystalline aggregate with recently proposed physically-based crystal plasticity constitutive equations validated for neutron-irradiated austenitic stainless steel. Intergranular normal stress probability density functions are found with respect to plastic strain and irradiation level, for uniaxial loading conditions. In addition, plastic slip activity jumps at grain boundaries are also presented. Intergranular normal stress distributions describe, from a statistical point of view, the potential increase of intergranular stress with respect to the macroscopic stress due to grain-grain interactions. The distributions are shown to be well described by a master curve once rescaled by the macroscopic stress, in the range of irradiation level and strain considered in this study. The upper tail of this master curve is shown to be insensitive to free surface effect, which is relevant for IGSCC predictions, and also relatively insensitive to small perturbations in crystallographic texture, but sensitive to grain shapes.

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