Constraint effects on creep crack growth behaviour in 316H stainless steel

Life extension of the UK's advanced gas cooled reactors (AGRs) is dependent on the assurance of the safety of their structural components. As many AGR components operate in the creep range, it is important to understand and to be able to predict creep and creep-fatigue crack growth for real or postulated defects in these components. The main aim of this work is to investigate the effects of constraint (in-plane and out-of-plane) on creep crack growth in 316H steel at 550 degrees C, with particular emphasis on developing an improved understanding of crack growth behaviour in thin section components.