The Effect of Temperature Dependent Yield Strength on Upper Bounds for Creep Ratcheting

The Bree model and the elastic core concept have been used as the foundation for the simplified inelastic design analysis methods in the ASME Code for the design of components at elevated temperature for nearly three decades. The methodology provides upper bounds for creep strain accumulation and a physical basis for ascertaining if a structure under primary and secondary loading will behave elastically, plastically, shakedown, or ratchet. Comparisons of the method with inelastic analysis results have demonstrated its conservatism in stainless steel at temperatures representative of those in LMBR applications. The upper bounds on creep accumulation are revisited for very high temperatures representative of VHTR applications, where the yield strength of the material is strongly dependent upon temperature. The effect of the variation in yield strength on the evolution of the core stress is illustrated, and is shown to extend the shakedown regions, and affects the location of the boundaries between shakedown, ratcheting, and plasticity.