Improvement of probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis code PASCAL-SP with regard to primary water stress corrosion cracking

Mano, Akihiro ; Yamaguchi, Yoshihito ; Katsuyama, Jinya  ; Li, Y. 

Recently, cracks due to primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) have been detected in nickel based alloy welds in the primary piping of pressurized water reactors. Structural integrity assessments taking PWSCC into account have become important. Probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) is expected as one of rational methods for the assessments because it can account for uncertainty of the influencing factors and evaluate the failure probabilities of components. In JAEA, a PFM analysis code PASCAL-SP was developed to evaluate the failure probability of nuclear pipe. This paper details improvement of the PASCAL-SP to evaluate the failure probability taking PWSCC into account. As numerical examples, the failure probabilities for circumferential and axial cracks due to PWSCC are evaluated. Influence of inspection on failure probabilities are evaluated. As the results, we conclude that the improved PASCAL-SP is useful for evaluating the failure probability taking PWSCC into account.