Validated assessment of power plant components with flaws and defects operating under long-term creep and isothermal creep-fatigue loading

[Display omitted] •A thickness influencing factor fB for crack initiation is proposed, which improves the crack initiation and growth estimation using the NSW model and reduces its over-conservatism notably.•The limitation in the application of the C*-parameter is shown and explained by the Two-Criteria-Diagram (2CD). It should be applied to crack geometries with predominant crack tip damage.•Validation of practical approaches for assessment of crack initiation and growth under creep and isothermal creep-fatigue loading by experimental results up to 100,000 h testing time.•Transferability of fracture mechanics approaches to cracked components under practical creep and isothermal creep fatigue loading is demonstrated using the analytically C*ref or the numerically C*FE calculated parameter. An extensive database of frequently used heat-resistant steels 1 %Cr, 9–10 %Cr and 12 %Cr steels at application-typical temperatures was evaluated using the Nikbin-Smith-Webster model. Influencing factors, such as the initial plasticization and the specimen thickness, were investigated in the evaluation of the fracture mechanics material characteristic values. A thickness influencing factor fB for crack initiation is proposed, which improves the crack initiation estimation using the NSW model and reduces its over-conservatism notably. It could be shown that the crack initiation and especially the crack growth under creep loading can be described with sufficient accuracy by the modification of the NSW model. The limitation in the application of the C*-parameter could also be shown and explained by the Two-Criteria-Diagram (2CD). It should be applied to crack geometries with predominant crack tip damage. The 2CD is shown as preferred method for a more precise, material-related understanding and assessment of the crack initiation process. Based on the recalculation of fracture mechanics tests on CT und DENT specimens, the analytical approaches for the description of crack initiation and growth under creep and isothermal creep-fatigue loading could be validated in the long-term range by comparison with the experimental results up to 100,000 h. Finally, the transferability of these approaches from CT und DENT specimens to large components was investigated by calculating cracked components under practical creep and isothermal creep fatigue loading using these methods. It has been shown that the load level and the duration of holding time are decisive for the crack initiation a