Development and Test of an Equipment to Measure Residual Strain Inside Pipes Using the Hole-Drilling Method

Abstract Residual stresses are present in materials or structural component in the absence of external loads or changes in temperatures. The most common causes of residual stresses being present are the manufacturing or assembling processes. All manufacturing processes, such as casting, welding, machining, moulding, heat treatment, etc, introduces residual stresses into the manufactured object. The residual stresses effects could be beneficial or detrimental, depending on its distribution related to the component or structure, its load service and if they are compressive or tensile. In order to do the studies of residual stresses inside pipes, where the fatigue cracks normally initiate, an equipment that allows applying the Hole-Drilling Method was developed. The equipment efficacy was confirmed in this work by using it to detect residual strains inside a Mock-up that simulates the relief and security nozzle of Angra 1 Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) pressuriser.