APPLICATION OF THE SINTAP ANALYSIS IN THE CASE OF A THICKWALLED PRESSURE VESSEL WITH CRACKS IN THE SUPPORT ZONE
<p style="text-align: justify;">Fracture mechanics is a field that is increasingly studied and applied in modern industry. One of the most widely accepted methods for assessing structural integrity in this field is the SINTAP method. Although there are many literary sources available that discuss this<br />method, very few of them present its concrete application. This paper presents the application of the mentioned method, along with appropriate equations, at a basic level of analysis. The relevant fracture mechanics parameters are determined numerically using<br />Ansys software, with the example of a thick-walled pressure vessel with cracks in the support zone. The analysis takes into account the effects of operational loads, as well as residual stresses resulting from welding.</p>