Finite element method to analyze the fretting wear characteristics based on Hertz theory, Coulomb friction law and a modified Archard wear equation, has been applied to a cylinder-on-flat configuration for typical steam generator tube material Inconel 690 alloy and typical anti-vibration bar material Inconel 600 alloy (Cr plating) in the nuclear power plant, under gross slip and partial slip conditions. The evolutions of contact profile, surface contact variables with increase in wear cycles are predicted. The slip regime is predicted to have significant effects on the fretting wear behavior. Under the gross slip regime, it is found that the peak contact pressure occurs at the center of the contact scar, and the actual relative slip is slightly smaller than the applied value. The contact width increases, and the peak pressure decreases gradually with increase in wear cycles. Whereas under the partial slip regime, the peak contact pressure occurs at the stick-slip boundary, the actual relative slip is much smaller than the applied value, and no relative slip occurs in the stick zone. The contact width increases gradually, and the peak pressure increases rapidly with increase in wear cycles.

In order to confirm the structural integrity of pressurizer surge line affected by thermal stratification and thermal shock, the thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) behavior of the material used for surge line was investigated based on the real situation in the pressurized water reactor (PWR). Smooth, hollow specimens were subjected to in-phase (IP) and out-of-phase (OP) cycling in air under a mechanical strain control mode. For the sake of comparison, low cycle fatigue (LCF) tests were also performed at the peak temperatures of TMF cycling. The Nano Hardness Tester was used to test the nano hardness of the sample on the cut section surface. The results are shown that there is no significant difference between the IP, OP and IF lives in the investigated temperature ranges. The fracture analysis reveals that the crack initiation and propagation occurred in a transgranular mode under OP, IP and IF cycling condition, and a harden layer occurrence may be the cause of the crack initiation.

Damage of metals due to the influence of hydrogen is quite frequent and leads to dangerous failures. The characteristics of the hydrogen embrittlemnt of the 65Mn steel were evaluated with small punch test. With the increment of the amount of the hydrogen absorbed into the alloy at room temperature, the strength and the toughness of the material reduce. From the small punch experimental results, it is found the total impact energy, the fracture strain and the fracture stress decrease with the increment of the cathodic hydrogen charging time. The fracture surfaces change from the typical ductile fracture with big voids to the typical intergranular brittle fracture mode after hydrogen absorbed in the specimens with higher charging current density.

At the present time, as the steam conditions and capability of the supercritical power unit increasing, the unit reliability is an important factor for the unit efficiency. High temperature, thick walled pipes are widely used in power plants and chemical plants. In this paper, life of the welded joint was predicted by the methods of skeletal point (SP) rupture stress rupture stress, which was calculated by finite element method (FEM). For the life prediction of welded component, the continuum damage mechanics was employed too. The life prediction of the welded joint by SP rupture stress was compared with the life prediction by the method of continuum damage mechanics (CDM). The research results showed that the two predicted methods were consistent. So, it can be concluded that the SP rupture stress can be used for predicting life of the high temperature welded component. The SP rupture stress method was used conveniently for the structure of power plant or other high temperature components.

The stress corrosion cracking (SCC) sensitivity of aged Z3CN20.09M stainless steel (SS) was investigated by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), nanoindenter and slow strain rate tensiometer (SSRT). The results indicated that the hardness and modulus of the samples increased with increasing aging time at 475 °C, which increased about 80% and 15% respectively after aging for 1000h. After immersed in NaCl+HCl solution (pH=2) for 7 h, the pitting corrosion point appeared of specimen aged for 1000h. While it was not found even for 24 h of as-received (AR) and aged for 500 h specimens at the same condition. The SCC sensitivity was increased about one time of the specimen aged for 1000 h tested in 300 °C high temperature water. The combined effect associated the embrittlement of mechanical properties and the decrease of corrosion resistance is regarded as the main reason for the increasing of SCC sensitivity.