Design criteria for piping components against plastic collapse. Application to pipe bend experiments

The design of new reactors in which the piping components exhibit geometric characteristics quite different from those of pressurised water reactors, requires confirmation of the validity of the rules for these types of component. With these objectives in mind, we analyzed the experimental results of tests conducted at the CEA/DEMT in the past twelve years, in the sense of the codes and standards. This paper presents an appraisement of level D design rules for elbows under in plane bending primary moments. (orig./GL)