Application of advanced ultrasonic testing methods to Dissimilar Metal Welds -- Comparison of simulated and experimental results

Abstract

Widely present in the primary circuit of Nuclear Power Plants (NPP), Dissimilar Metal Welds (DMW) are inspected using Ultrasonic nondestructive Testing (UT) techniques to ensure the integrity of the structure and detect defects such as Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC).In a previous collaborative research, CRIEPI and CEA have worked on the understanding of the propagation of ultrasonic waves in complex materials. Indeed, the ultrasonic propagation can be disturbed due to the anisotropic and inhomogeneous properties of the medium and the interpretation of inspection results can then be difficult. An analytical model, based on a dynamic ray theory, developed by CEA-LIST and implemented in the CIVA software had been used to predict the ultrasonic propagation in a DMW. The model evaluates the ray trajectories, the travel-time and the computation of the amplitude along the ray tube in a medium described thanks to a continuously varying description of its physical properties. In this study, the weld had been described by an analytical law of the crystallographic orientation. The simulated results of the detection of calibrated notches located in the buttering and the weld had been compared with experimental data and had shown a good agreement.The new collaborative program presented in this paper aims at detecting a real SCC defect located close to the root of the DMW. Thus, simulations have been performed for a DMW described with an analytical law and a smooth cartography of the crystallographic orientation. Furthermore, advanced ultrasonic testing methods have been used to inspect the specimen and detect the real SCC defect. Experimental and simulated results of the mock-up inspection have been compared.