Appendix G: Pressure-Temperature Limits (Brittle Fracture Prevention) Alpha · 2026-06-12

ASME BPVC Section XI (2025) Appendix G — Pressure-Temperature Limits (Brittle Fracture Prevention)

Pressure-Temperature Limit Curve (2K_{Im}+K_{It} \lt K_{Ic})

This tool applies the ASME XI (2025) Appendix G analytical assessment procedure G-2215 for shell and head regions away from discontinuities (Service Levels A/B). For the postulated t/4 flaw (G-2120) it combines the membrane stress intensity factor (SIF) K_{Im} from internal pressure and the thermal SIF K_{It} from heatup/cooldown transients, then solves the allowable pressure at each temperature using the criterion 2K_{Im}+K_{It} \lt K_{Ic} to produce the brittle fracture prevention pressure-temperature limit curve.

The reference critical stress intensity factor K_{Ic} is indexed two ways:

  • the classical reference nil-ductility temperature RT_{NDT} (G-2110(a));
  • a Master Curve route that converts an ASTM E1921 T_0 into RT_{T0,index} (G-2110(c)).

You set the vessel geometry, flaw orientation (axial or circumferential), the transient (heatup, cooldown or isothermal) and the heatup/cooldown rate. Besides the full curve, the tool reads:

  • the allowable pressure and margin at one assessment temperature;
  • the minimum hydrostatic test temperature (RT_{ref}+33°C);
  • the LTOP enable temperature.

This is a complete calculation of the G-2215 closed-form procedure, but only a subset of all of Appendix G: it covers the shell remote from discontinuities, so nozzle corners, flange discontinuities and irradiation chemistry models need the matching fuller methods. Results use SI units only.

Loading the interactive calculator…

Loading Appendix G: Pressure-Temperature Limits (Brittle Fracture Prevention)…