Allowing for the effects of residual stresses on creep in channel tubes

The method enables one to calculate the creep strain in reactor structures with allowance for the relaxation of the residual stresses distributed over the wall thickness in the presence of radiation and temperature fields. The result for RBMK channel tubes is that the residual stresses have only a minor effect on the strain in prolonged operation. However, in short-time tests, this factor may appreciably distort the results and may even alter the sign of the strain. The internal stresses may also make themselves felt when one measures the strain due to radiation growth in zirconium-alloy specimens.