Strain rate change from 0.04 to 0.004%/s in an environmental fatigue test of CF8M cast stainless steel

Abstract

To define the effect of strain rate variation from 0.04% to 0.004%/s on environmental fatigue of CF8M cast stainless steel, which is used as a primary piping material in nuclear power plants, low-cycle fatigue tests were conducted at operating pressure and temperature condition of a pressurized water reactor, 15 MPa and 315oC, respectively. A high-pressure and high-temperature autoclave and cylindrical solid fatigue specimens were used for the strain-controlled low-cycle environmental fatigue tests. It was observed that the fatigue life of CF8M stainless steel is shortened as the strain rate decreases. Due to the effect of test temperature, the fatigue data of NUREG-6909 appears a slightly shorter than that obtained by KEPRI at the same stress amplitude of 1x103 MPa. The environmental fatigue correction factor Fen's calculated with inputs of the test data increases with high strain amplitude, while the Fen's of NUREG-6909 remain constant regardless of strain amplitude.