Assessment of flaw interaction under combined tensile and bending stresses; Suitability of ASME code case N877-1

Dulieu, P.*; Lacroix, V.*; Hasegawa, Kunio

When detected flaws are in close proximity, proximity rules given in the Fitness-foe Service codes require to combine the interacting flaws into a single flaw. ASME Code Case N877-1 provides alternative proximity rules for multiple radial oriented planar flaws. The calculations of flaw interaction have been performed under pure membrane stress. However, actual loading conditions induce non-uniform stresses in the component thickness direction. The objective of this paper is assess the suitability of ASME Code Case N877-1 with regards to the presence of a bending part in the applied stress distribution. For that purpose, various applied stress profiles and flaw configurations are covered. The effect on flaw interaction is assessed trough three-dimensional XFEM analyses.