ACMFMS 2012

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON BIAXIAL

RATCHETING OF ENHANCED
NITROGEN SS316EN STEEL PIPES USED
IN FAST BREEDER REACTOR
STRUCTURES



By
E.Gopalakrishna, R.Suresh Kumar,
Dr. C.Lakshmana Rao Dr. P.Chellapandi
Department of Applied Mechanics Reactor Design Group
IIT Madras, Chennai IGCAR, Kalpakkam
Introduction

A piping system is an integral component of nuclear reactors.
Sodium which is used as a coolant, flows in the piping system.
Due to high boiling point of sodium, a high pressure is developed in the
pipes.
Pipeline is subjected to static axial tension because of internal pressure
and self weight of the sodium and cyclic torque during seismic activity.
This Biaxial loading leads to accumulation of plastic strains.
This cycle by cycle accumulation of plastic strains in the axial direction
is called ratcheting. This phenomenon of ratcheting needs detailed
analysis in design considerations.






Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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PIPING SYSTEM IN A NUCLEAR REACTOR
Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Ratcheting
Ratcheting is the cycle-by-cycle accumulation of plastic strain for
some repetitive loading paths
Ratcheting occurs when the material is cyclically loaded at some
constant stress amplitude with a non-zero mean stress.


Uniaxial ratcheting
Courtesy: Suresh
Biaxial ratcheting
introduction(cont)
Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Literature review
Fumiko kawashima et al(1999) performed series of
mechanical ratcheting tests under tensiontorsion biaxial
conditions with advanced 316 stainless steel at 923 K. They
proposed a simple evaluation of accumulation of ratchet strain.

Suresh Kumar et al (2009) performed biaxial tension torsion
experiments on low nitrogen SS316LN pipes used in fast
breeder reactor structures using load control.

Athmanathan et al (2011) performed experimental study on
biaxial ratcheting of low nitrogen SS316LN pipes used in fast
breeder reactor Structures using displacement control.





Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Motivation
Current seismic data proves that cyclic loading caused by
earthquake activity can lead to considerable damage causing
inelastic deformations in the structures.

Ratcheting is an important phenomenon encountered in
nuclear structural components.

The industry prescribed ratcheting codes are more generalized
and are for uniaxial models only.

Specific codes pertaining to the biaxial models are to be
developed.






Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Objectives

To conduct biaxial tension-torsion experiments on enhanced
nitrogen SS316EN straight pipes at constant axial tension with
cyclic angular displacement.
To compare the accumulation of axial strains of enhanced
nitrogen SS316EN pipes to that of low nitrogen SS316LN
pipes.
Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Methodology
Biaxial testing facility in IITM

Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Specimen Holder
Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
Load Cell
Torque Controller Rack & Pinion Arrangement
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Biaxial Testing Machine
Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Specification of Biaxial Testing Machine





Properties of SS316EN

Methodology( cont)
Parameters Value
Maximum axial load 20kN (static in nature)
Maximum Torque 200Nm (cyclic in nature)
Frequency 0.01 5Hz
Cyclic loading waveform Sinusoidal
Length of the specimen 200 400 mm
Sl. no Item Value
1 Modulus of Elasticity (E) 192 GPa
2 Poissonss Ratio () 0.3
3 Modulus of Rigidity (G) 73 GPa
4 Yield Strength (y) 258.0 MPa
5 Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) 556.0 MPa
Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Various kinds of experiments that can be performed using the biaxial
fatigue machine:
Simultaneous loading with Static tension-Cyclic Torque
Cyclic tension- Static Torque
Cyclic Tension-Cyclic Torque
Static tension and Static Torque.
Methodology( cont)
Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Method of loading
The specimen is loaded as shown
in the figure
Axial load is static
Torsion is cyclic

It is important to select the value
of loading in such a way that
ratcheting occurs. This is done
with the help of Brees diagram.

Methodology( cont)
Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Brees diagram
Brees diagram is one of the most
commonly used design diagrams
for ratcheting.
Dq = (L/R) *(s
y
/ E) * (Y/4)

Where
L = Gauge length (mm)
R = Radius of the pipe specimen
(mm)
s
y
= Yield stress (MPa)
E = Modulus of elasticity (MPa)
Y = Y-Coordinate of the Brees
diagram
Factor 4 has been divided to convert the
stress shear into equivalent normal
stress range.
Methodology( cont)
Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India. 14

Experiments were carried out in angle control mode with static
axial tension and cyclic torsion. The loading conditions are
tabulated below






Plots of Axial Strain Vs Number of cycles was obtained. The
plots are shown and discussed in subsequent slides.
Experiments
Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
Constant Axial
tension(MPa)
Cyclic
Angle(degree)
Frequency (Hz)
100 1

1.5
1
150 1

1.5
1
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Axial strain Versus Number of cycles
Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
The accumulation of axial strains to the number of cycles for a axial
stress of 100 MPa and cyclic twist 1.0 degree and 1.5 degree is as
shown in Figure (a) and the corresponding trend line is shown in
Figure (b).








Figure (a) Figure (b)


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Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
The trend line showing the accumulation of axial strains to the
number of cycles for a axial stress of 150 MPa and cyclic twist 1.0
degree and 1.5 degree for two specimens in each case is shown
below.










Axial strain Versus Number of cycles
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Comparisons
Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
Comparison of trend lines showing the accumulation of axial strains
to the number of cycles for a axial stress of 100 MPa and 150 Mpa
and cyclic twist of 1.0 degree and1.5 degree for SS316EN is shown
below.




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Comparison Of SS316EN with SS316ln
Comparison of trend lines showing the accumulation of axial strains
to the number of cycles for a axial stress of 100 MPa and cyclic twist
1.0 degree for SS316EN and SS316LN is shown below.




Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Comparison Of SS316EN with SS316ln
Comparison of trend lines showing the accumulation of axial strains
to the number of cycles for a axial stress of 100 MPa and cyclic twist
1.5 degree for SS316EN and SS316LN is shown below.




Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Comparison Of SS316EN with SS316ln
Comparison of trend lines showing the accumulation of axial strains
to the number of cycles for a axial stress of 150 MPa and cyclic twist
1.0 degree for SS316EN and SS316LN is shown below.





Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-5007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Comparison Of SS316EN with SS316ln
Comparison of trend lines showing the accumulation of axial strains
to the number of cycles for a axial stress of 150 MPa and cyclic twist
1.5 degree for SS316EN and SS316LN is shown below.






Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
Comparison Of SS316EN with SS316ln
Comparison of percentage build up axial strain for SS316EN and
SS316LN pipes subjected to axial stress of 100 MPa and 150 MPa
and cyclic twist of 1.0 degree and 1.5 degree is tabulated below.







Sl no Axial
Stress(MPa)
Cyclic
angle(degree)
% axial
strain
build up
in
SS316E
N
% axial
strain build
up in
SS316LN
1 100 1

1.5
24.0

78.2
19.4

21.4
2 150 1

1.5
36.8

89.5
21.02

29.2
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Conclusions
The strain accumulation was steeper (with respect to the
number of cycles) for higher amplitudes of twist and for higher
axial stresses.
The axial strains predicted for Enhanced Nitrogen SS316EN
steel were much higher than the strains predicted for SS316LN
for the same set of parameters. However, the strains predicted
in both cases are much lower than the allowable limits of 7000
micro strains as set by RCC-MR 2007 nuclear codes.



Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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My special thanks to Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic
Research Kalpakkam for sponsoring this research.













Gopalakrishna E, ACMFMS 2012-50007, IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
ACKnowledgement
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THANK YOU
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Questions ?


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