Calculations to Benchmark Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Computer Codes

This paper describes calculations to estimate component failure frequencies for components using the PRO-LOCA and PRAISE probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) computer codes. Other PFM codes are also described along with prior benchmarking efforts. The calculations of this paper focus on the failure mechanism of primary water stress corrosion cracking for operating conditions that were known to have failed field components. The objective was to benchmark the newly developed PRO-LOCA code against the older PRAISE code that had a much longer history of prior applications. It was established that advanced modeling capabilities in the PRO-LOCA code simulated parameters that were treated deterministically by the PRAISE code. Excellent agreement of numerical results from the two codes was established once the PRO-LOCA code was applied using selective deterministic treatments.