Calculation methods for thick walled components under creep fatigue - review and advanced concepts

A full scale creep-fatigue test component made of P91 was developed and tested as part of the MACPLUS (European Union FP7) project. Current international standards for lifetime assessment for thick walled power plant components were applied. In addition an advanced concept based on creep-fatigue crack growth was also used in finite element simulations. The results are compared with each other and the measurements of the heavily instrumented component. Individual strength and weaknesses as well as general challenges for creep-fatigue lifetime assessment are analyzed and discussed.