The paper presents a detailed analysis of the material damaging process due to lowcycle fatigue and subsequent crack growth under thermal shocks and high pressure. Finite Element Method (FEM) model of a high pressure (HP) by-pass valve body and a steam turbine rotor shaft (used in a coal power plant) is presented. The main damaging factor in both cases is fatigue due to cycles of rapid temperature changes. The crack initiation, occurring at a relatively low number of load cycles, depends on alternating or alternating-incremental changes in plastic strains. The crack propagation is determined by the classic fracture mechanics, based on finite element models and the most dangerous case of brittle fracture. This example shows the adaptation of the structure to work in the ultimate conditions of high pressure, thermal shocks and cracking.

The Copper-SiC composite was investigated with the help of FEM. The authors modeled and analyzed the effect of relaxation of thermal stresses due to seasoning at room temperature after the manufacturing process together with the effect of thermal stresses induced by reheating the material to a service temperature. Especially, hypothetical fracture at interface was of interest. It was shown that, for a fixed temperature, a single crack emanating at 0° or 45° azimuth would develop only along a portion of fiber perimeter, and a further growth would require stress increase in the fiber surrounding.