Root cause investigations of feeder pipe cracks detected in one CANDU™ nuclear power plant indicated that the residual stress had a significant role in these failures. As a result, numerous residual stress measurements of pipe bends were obtained and models for predicting the residual stress distributions associated with various bending processes were developed.
This paper provides a comprehensive review of pipe bend residual stress data and provides guidelines for identifying the most susceptible locations for targeted crack inspections. Residual stress data, generated since 1997 as part of the CANDU feeder cracking investigation, was compiled and presented for the quick dissemination of information. This information is summarized in quick lookup tables where likely crack locations are identified for pipe bends manufactured using various fabrication techniques.
