Crack growth rate in core shroud horizontal welds using two models for a BWR

Abstract An empirical crack growth rate correlation model and a predictive model based on the slip–oxidation mechanism for Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) were used to calculate the crack growth rate in a BWR core shroud. In this study, the crack growth rate was calculated by accounting for the environmental factors related to aqueous environment, neutron irradiation to high fluence and the complex residual stress conditions resulting from welding. In estimating the SCC behavior the crack growth measurements data from a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) plant are referred to, and the stress intensity factor vs crack depth throughout thickness is calculated using a generic weld residual stress distribution for a core shroud, with a 30% stress relaxation induced by neutron irradiation. Quantitative agreement is shown between the measurements of SCC growth rate and the predictions of the slip–oxidation mechanism model for relatively low fluences (5 × 10 24 n/m 2 ), and the empirical model predicted better the SCC growth rate than the slip–oxidation model for high fluences (>1 × 10 25 n/m 2 ). The relevance of the models predictions for SCC growth rate behavior depends on knowing the model parameters.