J Simplified Assessment for Cracked Pipes and Elbows in the RSE-M Code

RSE-M Code provides rules and requirements for in-service inspection of French Pressurized Water Reactor power plant components. Non mandatory guidance is given in the Code for defect assessment in a wide range of configurations: surface cracked pipes and elbows under pressure, moment and thermal loading. The Code provides influence coefficients to calculate stress intensity factors in pipes and elbows containing semi-elliptical surface defects (circumferential or longitudinal). The J assessment method is based on the reference stress concept with two options for reference loads evaluation: "CEP elastic plastic stress" and "CLC modified limit load". This paper presents an overview of all the formulations and namely the case of pipe-to elbow junctions. The paper provides also a description of the very large data base of 2D and 3D J elastic-plastic finite element calculations performed to establish and validate the formulations. Finally an applicability domain of the methods is given ensuring a conservative prediction of J.