Papers by Author: Young Jin Kim

Abstract: Steam generators working in nuclear power plants convert water into steam from heat produced in the reactor core and each of them contains from 3,000 to 16,000 tubes. Since these tubes constitute one of primary barriers under radioactive and high pressure condition, the integrity should be maintained carefully during the operation. The objective of this research is to introduce an integrity evaluation system for steam generator tubes as a substitute of well-trained engineers or experts. For this purpose, a couplet examination has been carried out on the complicated evaluation procedure and an efficient system named as STiES was developed employing three representative integrity evaluation methods: fracture mechanics analysis (crack driving force diagram and J-integral/Tearing modulus method) and limit load method. Exemplary analyses for steam generator tubes with various types of flaws showed good applicability of the proposed integrity evaluation system. So, it is anticipated that the system can be used for the calculation of reference pressure to decide either the continued operation or repair until next outage.

Abstract: In this paper, conservatisms of current plugging criteria on steam generator tubes are reviewed and six new failure prediction models for dual through-wall cracks are proposed. In order to determine the optimum ones among these local or global failure prediction models, a series of plastic collapse tests and corresponding finite element analyses are carried out with respect to two adjacent axial through-wall cracks in thin plates. Then, reaction force model, plastic zone contact model and COD (Crack Opening Displacement) base model were selected as the optimum ones for integrity assessment of steam generator tubes with dual cracks.

Abstract: While the demand on electric power is consistently increasing, public concerns and regulations for the construction of new nuclear power plants are getting restrict, and also operating nuclear power plants are gradually ageing. For this reason, the interest on lifetime extension for operating nuclear power plants by applying lifetime management system is increasing. The 40-year design life concept was originally introduced on the basis of economic and safety considerations. In other words, it was not determined by technological evaluations. Also, the transient design data which were applied for fatigue damage evaluation were overly conservative in comparison with actual transient data. Therefore, the accumulation of fatigue damage may result in a big difference between the actual data and the design data. The lifetime of nuclear power plants is mostly dependent on the fatigue life of a reactor pressure vessel, and thus, the exact evaluation of fatigue life on a reactor pressure vessel is a crucial factor in determining the extension of operating life. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a real-time fatigue monitoring system for an operating reactor pressure vessel which can be used for the lifetime extension. In order to satisfy the objectives, a web-based transient acquisition system was developed, thereby, real-time thermal-hydraulic data were reserved for 18 operating reactor pressure vessels. A series of finite element analyses was carried out to obtain the stress data due to actual transient. The fatigue life evaluation has been performed based on the stress analysis results and, finally, a web-based fatigue life evaluation system was introduced by combining analysis results and on-line monitoring system. Comparison of the stress analysis results between operating transients and design transients showed a considerable amount of benefits in terms of fatigue life. Therefore, it is anticipated that the developed web-based system can be utilized as an efficient tool for fatigue life estimation of reactor pressure vessel.

Abstract: In this paper, the characterization of fretting damage on press-fitted specimens is proposed by experimental methods. A series of fatigue tests and interrupted fatigue tests on pressfitted specimens were carried out by using a rotate bending fatigue test machine. Macroscopic and microscopic characteristics were observed to identify fretting damage mechanism with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and profilometer. The mechanism of fretting fatigue damage on pressfitted structure is discussed from experimental results. It is found that small cracks of 30~40
m in depth are initiated when the specimen reached about 10% of the total life, and thus almost 90% of the fretting fatigue life of press fits can be considered to be in the crack propagation phase. Most of fatigue cracks are initiated at 1050
m inner side of contact edge, and multiple cracks are nucleated and interconnected in the fretted surface. The crack nucleation angle in the near contact edge region is larger than that in the inside of the contact edge region. The fretting wear increased with increasing fatigue cycle. Since the fretting wear is relevant to the evolution of surface profile, the fretting fatigue is observed to be closely related with the fretting wear.

Abstract: Damage often occurs on the surface of railway wheels due to wheel-rail contact fatigue. Since the wheel failure can cause derailment causing the loss of life and property, it should be removed prior to the wheel failure. The effect of surface removal on contact fatigue life has been investigated by many researchers, however, the effects of residual stress and traction force have not been reported yet. The railway wheel reserves the initial residual stress due to the manufacturing process, and this residual stress is changed by the thermal stress induced by braking. Also, the traction force is usually applied along with residual stress on wheels of locomotive and electric motor vehicle. In this study, the effect of surface removal on the contact fatigue life for a railway wheel has been evaluated by applying the rolling contact fatigue test. Also, the effect of traction force and change of residual stress on the contact fatigue life has been estimated by applying finite element analysis. It is found that the residual stress is a dominant factor determining the surface removal depth as far as the traction coefficient is less than 0.15. If the traction coefficient is greater than 0.2, however, the surface removal depth is observed to be independent on the residual stress.

Abstract: In general, the fatigue life of major nuclear components has been evaluated based on design codes conservatively. However, sometimes, more exact fatigue life evaluation is required for continued operation beyond the endorsed life. The purpose of this paper is to carry out 3-D stress and fatigue analyses reflecting full geometry as well as actual operating data. The actual operating data acquired through a monitoring system were filtered and assessed. Then, temperature and stress transfer Green’s functions were developed and applied to critical locations of reactor pressure vessel. The finite element analyses results for representative design transients were verified through comparison to reference solution and showed that the conservatism of current 2-D evaluation. Therefore, it is anticipated that the proposed scheme adopting Green’s function and real operating histories can be utilized for remaining life time evaluation of major components.

Abstract: In this paper, the applicability of local approach is examined for SA515 Gr.60 nuclear steel through a series of finite element analyses incorporating modified GTN and Rousselier models as well as fracture toughness tests. To achieve the goal, fracture toughness test data of standard compact tension (CT) specimens are used for calibration of micro-mechanical parameters. Then, from finite element analyses employing the calibrated parameters, fracture resistance (J-R) curves of CT specimens with different crack length to width ratio, with different thickness and with/without 20% side-grooves are predicted. Finally, suitability of the numerically estimated J-R curves was verified by comparison with the corresponding experimental J-R curves.

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to investigate failure characteristics of SA508 carbon steel in ductile-brittle transition temperature region. To achieve this goal, a series of finite element analyses as well as fracture toughness tests are performed for pre-cracked V-notch specimens. An assessment of failure probabilities is, then, carried out employing Weibull stress models with different rank probability options. Finally, a prototype of toughness scale diagram is derived through comparison of estimated fracture toughness data with those for compact tension specimens. The present results can be utilized to found a basis of realistic integrity evaluation on major nuclear components containing defect.

Abstract: Major nuclear components have been designed by conservative codes to prevent unanticipated fatigue failure. However, more realistic and effective assessment is necessary in proof of continued operation beyond the design life. In the present paper, three-dimensional stress and fatigue evaluation is carried out for pressurizer employing complex full geometry itself instead of conventional discrete subcomponents. For this purpose, temperature and mechanical stress transfer Green’s functions are derived from finite element analyses and applied to critical locations of pressurizer. In accordance with comparison of resulting stresses obtained from the Green’s function and detailed finite element analysis, suitability of the specific Green’s function is investigated. Finally, prototype of fatigue life assessment results is provided along with relevant ongoing activities.

Abstract: Equinus gait, defined as walking on one forefoot or both forefeet, has long been considered an undesirable characteristic in patients with a variety of neuromuscular disorders. In the equinus gait, the heel contact pattern is changed according to the severity, because an excessive ankle plantar flexion instigates rearfoot lifting in patients. However, no biomechanical severity index exists to evaluate the rehabilitation procedure of equinus gait. Therefore, we developed an SIEG (Severity Index of Equinus Gait) for nondestructive evaluation of the equinus gait and to validate the index with regard to 11 kinematic and kinetic factors of gait analysis. In this study, the 3-D heel contact pattern was considered for the development of a severity index. In order to verify the result, we compared the developed severity index values with ankle joint kinematic and kinetic factors in 3 test groups. As a result, the average SIEG values ranged between 10.45 (Normal group) and 26.61 (Severe group) and the highest correlation with regard to the 3 groups was shown in the developed severity index. Additionally, we also presented a fuzzy model using Takagi-Sugeno-Kang(TSK) logic with regard to the 12 factors in order to more accurately classify equinus gait.