An analysis is presented which demonstrates the transient behavior of reacter pressure vessel and crack during thermal shock event. The crack geometries used in this analysis are an axisymmetric circumferential edge crack and an infinite axial edge crack. Results, which include transient temperature distribution, axial and tangential stresses in the uncracked cylinder and stress intensity factors as functions of time, are presented for various cladding thickness.
Stress intensity factors are calculated from Bueckner weight function for a crack in an infinite strip. Comparison of stress intensity factors in the clad cylinder with those in the unclad cylinder is made. Material properties are chosen to be the representatives of nuclear pressure vessel applications.
