A REVIEW ON STRESS CORROSION CRACKING MECHANISMS AND MODELS IN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

Abstract

Stress corrosion cracking in the existing nuclear power plants consumes to the structures like a caner does to human body. To estimate the exact value of the cracks and life of the structure, quantitative mechanisms and models play important role. In view of the stress corrosion cracking of materials in Light water environment, many scholars have proposed different mechanisms and models to explain the stress corrosion cracking phenomenon quantitatively and theoretically. Some of these models are quantitative formulas, while others are qualitatively explained. Not a single mechanism or model has been developed to explain or predict the effect of all the possible influencing factors on stress corrosion cracking growth rate in light water reactor environment. This research introduces all the possible mechanisms and corresponding models used to estimate the stress corrosion cracking growth rate at elevated temperature. The reasons for the failure of the mechanisms have been mentioned and a recommended new model of estimating the stress corrosion cracking growth rate may be further studied.