Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/N10011/01
Title:	STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF HIGH TEMPERATURE WELDS IN POWER GENERATION PLANT
Principal Investigator:	Hyde, Professor TH
Other Investigators:	Becker, Professor A Shipway, Professor PH
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	British Energy E.On National Power
Department:	Sch of Mech Materials Manuf Eng Mgt
Organisation:	University of Nottingham
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 September 2000	Ends:	31 August 2003	Value (£):	190,564
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Materials Processing Materials testing & eng.
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Manufacturing Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
The requirement for increased power plant reliability and efficiency has resulted in a parallel need for improved high temperature ferritic steels. Over the last decade, such alloys have been produced, based on the 9% and 12 % chromium steels. The foresight/DRTI/Manufacturing Engineering industry appraisal has supported the need for such materials and the commitment to underwriting their long-term use.Welds are a critical link in such structures and are complex. Also, these welds are generally less forgiving and more sensitive to compositional variations and heat treatment than the lower alloyed steels. A full understanding of these welds requires an interdisciplinary approach, involving both metallurgical studies and advanced non-linear computational mechanics techniques incorporating continuum damage mechanics modelling to predict damage accumulation and failure.This proposal combines materials and modelling expertise, in which detailed microstructural studies are combined with materials testing and advanced finite element analysis to develop an understanding of the weld behaviour and a structural integrity methodology. It will include sensitivity studies to take account of potential material property with time and temperature. The project will focus on modified 9% Cr steels which are identified by the power industry as of specific interest. The findings, however, would be applicable to other advanced materials and industries.
Key Findings
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Organisation Website:	http://www.nottingham.ac.uk