A state-of-the-art report on characteristics and effects of residual stresses for welded structures of liquid metal reactor

Welding is widely used for the joining of structural components in nowadays nuclear power plants and the various methods of welding are being developed. This report described the current states of the art regarding the problem of residual stresses for welded structures of LMR plants. The contents were composed of four different parts. In the first part the structures of principal components of Superphenix and the kinds of welds utilized in the plants were investigated. In the second part the effects of residual stresses were described on the main phenomena such as brittle fracture, fatigue fracture, buckling, stress corrosion cracking. This phenomena can play an important role in the life of welded structures. In the third part the contents of the most commonly used finite element methods for the theoretical determination of residual stresses were arranged. Finally the investigation of the state-of-the art techniques to measure residual stresses in metals was carried out. In addition, nondestructive techniques and destructive techniques were described. (author). 17 refs., 45 figs