PROBABILISTIC ASPECTS IN THE FORMATION AND PROPAGATION OF CRACK NETWORKS IN THERMOMECHANICAL FATIGUE

摘要

Thermal fatigue cracking is observed in various components of nuclear power plants. A probabilistic method based on the initial distribution of flaws is proposed to describe different aspects of the formation and propagation of crack networks in thermomechanical fatigue. The interaction between cracks is modelled by considering obscuration zones corresponding to shielding effects created by each crack. Propagation regimes are discussed by introducing the horizon defined as a space-stress zone in which a defect will always be obscured by existing cracks.