Experimental and elastic-plastic numerical analysis of a PWR piping elbow subjected to pressure cycling

This paper presents the results measured on the structure during the experiment and two inelastic computer analyses of this structure. The two calculations are conducted independently with two different computer codes. The first analysis is carried out with the MARC program and uses an isoparametric quadrilateral doubly-curved thin shell element. This element fulfils continuity requirements and represents rigid body modes exactly. The input data and the computed results are presented. The measured and computed values are compared. The second analysis is conducted with the TRICO program developed by the C.E.A. (French Atomic Energy Commission). This program uses a flat triangular constant strain thin shell element. The plastic analysis is made with the global method. The input data and the computed results are presented. The measured and computed values are compared. A study of the sensitivity of computed results to the material and geometrical data is conducted. It is found that the computed results are fairly good in view of the assumptions made on the input data for each calculation. (orig.)