Probabilistic fracture mechanics risk analysis

Probabilistic fracture mechanics risk analysis of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) integrity... 

Probabilistic fracture mechanics risk analysis 389 Table 12.2 Vessel dimensions and material RTndj... 

Probabilistic fracture mechanics risk analysis 391 Table 12.3 Frequency distribution for a postulated PTS transient... 

The sequences of events that may lead to vessel failure and their frequencies are determined from probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) analyses. The pressure, temperature and heat transfer coefficient time histories at the vessel inner surface are determined from thermal hydraulic analyses for the events identified by the PRA analyses. These time histories are used together with probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis to calculate the conditional probability of RPV failure. Discussion of the methodology used to perform the PRA analyses and define the transient events and associated frequencies, and the thermal hydraulic analyses used to define the event pressure and temperature time histories are outside the scope of this chapter. Consequently, the remainder of this chapter focuses on the PFM evaluation assumptions and procedures. 

---