Embedded crack treatments and fracture toughness evaluation methods in probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis code for the PTS analysis of RPV

Onizawa, Kunio ; Shibata, Katsuyuki; Suzuki, Masahide; Kato, Daisuke*; Li, Y.* 

At JAERI, the prpbabilistic fracture mechanics analysis code PASCAL has been developed. Using the PASCAL, the treatment methods of an embedded crack and the fracture toughness evaluation methods were studied on the probability of crack initiation and fracture of a RPV. For calculating the stress intensity factor (SIF) of an embedded crack, the ASME and CRIEPI procedures were introduced into PASCAL. Under a severe pressurized thermal shock condition, the crack growth analysis models with different SIF calculation points and crack growth directions are compared. The results showed that the crack tip at the inner side was most important to the fracture probability. The conditional fracture probability for an embedded crack when the same crack size distribution is assumed is approximately one order of magnitude lower than that of a surface crack. Fracture toughness curves based on Weibull distribution were incorporated into PASCAL. The comparison between these new curves and the current curves showed little effect on the conditional fracture probability of a RPV.