User's manual and analysis methodology of probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis code PASCAL Ver.5 for reactor pressure vessels

Takamizawa, Hisashi; Lu, K.; Katsuyama, Jinya; Masaki, Koichi*; Miyamoto, Yuhei*; Li, Y.

JAEA-Data/Code 2022-006, 221 Pages, 2023/02

JAEA-Data-Code-2022-006.pdf:4.79MB

As a part of the structural integrity assessment research for aging light water reactor (LWR) components, a probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis code PASCAL (PFM Analysis of Structural Components in Aging LWR) has been developed in Japan Atomic Energy Agency. The PASCAL code can evaluate failure probabilities and failure frequencies of core region in reactor pressure vessel (RPV) under transients by considering the uncertainties of influential parameters. The continuous development of the code aims to improve the reliability by introducing the analysis methodologies and functions base on the state-of-the-art knowledge in fracture mechanics and domestic data. In the first version of PASCAL, which was released in FY2000, the basic framework was developed for analyzing failure probabilities considering pressurized thermal shock events for RPVs in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). In PASCAL Ver. 2 released in FY 2006, analysis functions including the evaluation methods for embedded cracks and crack detection probability models for inspection were introduced. In PASCAL Ver. 3 released in FY 2010, functions considering weld-overlay cladding on the inner surface of RPV were introduced. In PASCAL Ver. 4 released in FY 2017, we improved several functions such as the stress intensity factor solutions, probabilistic fracture toughness evaluation models, and confidence level evaluation function by considering epistemic and aleatory uncertainties related to influential parameters. In addition, the probabilistic calculation method was also improved to speed up the failure probability calculations. To strengthen the practical applications of PFM methodology in Japan, PASCAL code has been improved since FY 2018 to enable PFM analyses of RPVs subjected to a broad range of transients corresponding to both PWRs and boiling water reactors, including pressurized thermal shock, low-temperature over pressure, and normal operational transients. In particular, the stress intensi

User's manual and analysis methodology of probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis code PASCAL-SP Ver. 2 for piping (Contract research)

Yamaguchi, Yoshihito; Mano, Akihiro; Katsuyama, Jinya; Masaki, Koichi*; Miyamoto, Yuhei*; Li, Y.

JAEA-Data/Code 2020-021, 176 Pages, 2021/02

JAEA-Data-Code-2020-021.pdf:5.26MB

In Japan Atomic Energy Agency, as a part of researches on the structural integrity assessment and seismic safety assessment of aged components in nuclear power plants, a probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis code PASCAL-SP (PFM Analysis of Structural Components in Aging LWR - Stress Corrosion Cracking at Welded Joints of Piping) has been developed to evaluate failure probability of piping. The initial version was released in 2010, and after that, the evaluation targets have been expanded and analysis functions have been improved based on the state-of-the art technology. Now, it is released as Ver. 2.0. In the latest version, primary water stress corrosion cracking in the environment of Pressurized Water Reactor, nickel based alloy stress corrosion cracking in the environment of Boiling Water Reactor, and thermal embrittlement can be taken into account as target age-related degradation. Also, many analysis functions have been improved such as incorporations of the latest stress intensity factor solutions and uncertainty evaluation model of weld residual stress. Moreover, seismic fragility evaluation function has been developed by introducing evaluation methods including crack growth analysis model considering excessive cyclic loading due to large earthquake. Furthermore, confidence level evaluation function has been incorporated by considering the epistemic and aleatory uncertainties related to influence parameters in the probabilistic evaluation. This report provides the user's manual and analysis methodology of PASCAL-SP Ver. 2.0.

Improved Bayesian update method on flaw distributions reflecting non-destructive inspection result

Katsuyama, Jinya; Miyamoto, Yuhei*; Lu, K.; Mano, Akihiro; Li, Y.

Proceedings of ASME 2020 Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference (PVP 2020) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1115/PVP2020-21430

We have developed a probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis code PASCAL4 for evaluating failure frequency of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs). It is known that flaw distributions have an important role in failure frequency calculation in PFM analysis. Previously, we proposed likelihood function to obtain more realistic flaw distributions applicable for both case when flaws are detected and when there is no flaw indication as the inspection results based on Bayesian update methodology. Here, it can be applied to independently obtain posterior distributions of flaw depth and density. In this study, we improve the likelihood function to enable them to update flaw depth and density simultaneously. Based on the improved likelihood function, an example is presented in which flaw distributions are estimated by reflecting NDI results through Bayesian update and PFM analysis. The results indicate that the improved likelihood functions are useful for estimating flaw distributions.

A New probabilistic evaluation model for weld residual stress

Mano, Akihiro; Katsuyama, Jinya; Miyamoto, Yuhei*; Yamaguchi, Yoshihito; Li, Y.

International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping, 179, p.103945_1 - 103945_6, 2020/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpvp.2019.103945

Weld residual stress (WRS) is one of the most important factors in the structural integrity assessment of piping welds, and it is considered a driving force for crack growth. It is characterized by large uncertainty. For more rational assessment, it is important to consider the uncertainty of WRS for evaluating crack growth behavior in probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis. In existing PFM analysis codes, WRS uncertainty is set by statistically processing the results of multiple finite element analyses. This process depends on the individual performing PFM analysis, which may lead to uncertainties whose sources would be different from the original WRS. In this study, we developed a new WRS evaluation model based on Fourier transformation, and the model was incorporated into PASCAL-SP, which has been developed by Japan Atomic Energy Agency. Through improvements to the code, WRS uncertainty can be considered automatically and appropriately by inputting multiple WRS analysis results directly as input data for PFM analysis.

User's manual and analysis methodology of probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis code PASCAL Ver.4 for reactor pressure vessel (Contract research)

Katsuyama, Jinya; Masaki, Koichi; Miyamoto, Yuhei*; Li, Y.

JAEA-Data/Code 2017-015, 229 Pages, 2018/03

JAEA-Data-Code-2017-015.pdf:5.8MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2017-015(errata).pdf:0.15MB

As a part of the structural integrity research for aging light water reactor components, a probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis code PASCAL has been developed in JAEA. The PASCAL code can evaluate the conditional failure probabilities and failure frequencies for core region in reactor pressure vessels under the pressurized thermal shock events. In this study, we improved many functions such as the stress intensity factor solutions, the fracture toughness models, or confidence level evaluation function by considering epistemic and aleatory uncertainties related to influence parameters in the structural integrity assessment. We also developed the analysis module PASCAL-Manager which calculates the failure frequency for the entire core region taking into consideration the failure probabilities obtained from PACAL-RV. Based on these improvements, the new analysis code is upgraded to PASCAL Ver.4. This report provides the user's manual and theoretical background of PASCAL Ver.4.

Verification methodology and results of probabilistic fracture mechanics code PASCAL

Masaki, Koichi; Miyamoto, Yuhei*; Osakabe, Kazuya*; Uno, Shumpei*; Katsuyama, Jinya; Li, Y.

Proceedings of 2017 ASME Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference (PVP 2017) (CD-ROM), 7 Pages, 2017/07

A probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis code PASCAL has been developed by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). PASCAL can evaluate failure frequencies of Japanese reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) during pressurized thermal shock (PTS) events based on domestic structural integrity assessment models and data of influence factors. In order to improve the engineering applicability of PFM to Japanese RPVs, we have performed verification of the PASCAL. In general, PFM code consists of many functions such as fracture mechanics evaluation functions, probabilistic evaluation functions including random variables sampling modules and probabilistic evaluation models, and so on. The verification of PFM code is basically difficult because it is impossible to confirm such functions through the comparison with experiments. When a PFM code is applied for evaluating failure frequencies of RPVs, verification methodology of the code should be clarified and it is important that verification results including the region and process of the verification of the code are indicated. In this paper, our activities of verification for PASCAL are presented. We firstly represent the overview and methodology of verification of PFM code, and then, some verification examples are provided. Through the verification activities, the applicability of PASCAL in structural integrity assessments for Japanese RPVs was confirmed with great confidence.

A New probabilistic evaluation model on weld residual stress

Katsuyama, Jinya; Miyamoto, Yuhei*; Yamaguchi, Yoshihito; Mano, Akihiro; Li, Y.

no journal, , 

Weld residual stress (WRS) is one of the most important factors with a great deal of uncertainty, which is considered as a driving force for crack growth in the structural integrity assessment of piping welds. For more rational assessments, it is important to consider the uncertainty of WRS in probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis. In the existing PFM analysis codes, the uncertainty of WRS is set through statistical process of multiple finite element analysis (FEA) results. This process depends on persons who perform PFM analysis, and it may give different uncertainties. In this study, we developed a new WRS evaluation model based on the Fourier transformation, and the model was introduced into PASCAL-SP which has been developed by Japan Atomic Energy Agency. Through these improvements of the code, the uncertainty of WRS can be taken into account automatically and appropriately by inputting multiple WRS analysis results directly as input data of PFM analysis.