Fatigue failure of nuclear pressure vessel steels - I. Local criterion of fatigue failure

Local strain-stress criterion has been formulated relating to fatigue failure for nuclear pressure vessel steels under low cyclic loading. The suggested criterion allows one to predict the fatigue life for triaxial stress state and non-stationary loading with regard for the maximum stress effect. Under the fatigue life calculations on the basis of the suggested criterion it is not required to introduce any empirical cumulative damage rules. Comparison of calculated and experimental results has been performed under two-block loading as applied to 2Cr-Ni-Mo-V nuclear pressure vessel steel. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Limited.