A study of weld repairs in a CrMoV service-exposed pipe weld

This paper summarises the work on a FE creep failure assessment, for a series of circumferential welds and weld repairs cases, in a service-exposed CrMoV main steam pipe. The material properties used for different material zones are related to a 1/2Cr1/2Mo1/4V: 2 1/4Cr1Mo pipe weld, at 640degrees C. Failure lives and failure positions predicted using both continuum damage modelling and steady-state analyses are presented. The effects of the differences in the relative properties of the constituents of the welds, the weld geometry or repair profiles as well as the system loading, on the failure life, failure position and the remaining lives of these welds were estimated. The results presented are useful for assessing the performance of service-aged and repaired welds in power plants pipework systems and could be of practical significance for the development of weld repair strategies.