Integrated the Rupture Disk Corrosion Test (RDCT) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) approach for evaluating PWSCC initiation in Alloy 600 under simulated pressurized water reactors conditions

In this study, the rupture disk corrosion test (RDCT) was employed to measure the initiation time of primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) in Alloy 600. The applied stress was controlled by the disk specimen thickness, and the PWSCC initiation times were measured experimentally according to the controlled applied stress. Additionally, an optimized finite element analysis (FEA) model was selected to evaluate the applied stress and calculate the stress distribution on the specimen. A clear correlation was established between the applied stress and the PWSCC initiation time; specifically, the initiation time decreased as the applied stress increased. To improve the accuracy and reliability of PWSCC initiation time measurement by RDCT and the stress calculation by FEA, the experimental apparatus was modified, with the computational models were optimized, respectively. This study demonstrates that the integrated RDCT–FEA approach can effectively predict PWSCC initiation under simulated PWR conditions.