Jo Watanuki (M2), Department of Systems Innovation, received RUDY SCAVUZZO STUDENT PAPER COMPETITION-BS/MS category-Outstanding Student Author

On 19th July 2023、Jo Watanuki (M2), Department of Systems Innovation, KAWABATA Laboratory,  received Outstanding Student Author of RUDY SCAVUZZO STUDENT PAPER COMPETITION-BS/MS category at 2023 ASME Pressure Vessels & Piping Conference.

Name of the award received

RUDY SCAVUZZO STUDENT PAPER COMPETITION-BS/MS category-Outstanding Student Author

About awarded research

Title : INVESTIGATION ON A METHOD OF COUNTING LOW-CYCLE FATIGUE IN STEEL UNDER CRACK CLOSURE AND RANDOM VARIABLE AMPLITUDE LOADING
Summary : The over design in low-cycle fatigue is one of the most significant problems in the safe and financial design of nuclear power plants. As a crack propagates, a crack closure effect occurs, which is considered one of the reasons for making the prediction of a fatigue life short. In this research, the Second Order Differential of P (SODP) methodology was proposed as a simple method to determine the crack opening point and introduce it into the design. This methodology has succeeded in reducing the maximum error of 15% in the current methodology to 9%, and has also reduced the waveform dependence of the life prediction.

Your impression & future plan

In receiving this award, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Professor Kawabata, members of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. who collaborated with me, laboratory staff, and other people who supported me. I am very grateful to receive this prestigious award in recognition of my research during my master’s degree. Although this research has successfully improved the accuracy of low-cycle life prediction by mitigating the crack closure effect, there are still many issues to be clarified, such as the precise definition of the crack opening point and the effect of microstructure on low-cycle fatigue. I will do my best to live up to the honor of this award.