Cooperative IASCC Research (CIR) Program
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States). Nuclear Power Group
Irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) describes intergranular environmental cracking of material exposed to ionizing radiation. The implications of IASCC are significant, both in terms of repair and outage costs as well as the potential for cracking in components that may be extremely difficult to repair or replace. Significant advancements have been made in the understanding of IASCC. However, it is clear that major unknowns persist and must be understood and quantified before the life of a reactor component at risk from IASCC can be predicted or significantly extended. Although individual organizations are continuing to effectively address IASCC, it became apparent that a more direct form of cooperation would be more timely and efficient in addressing the technical issues. Thus in 1995 EPRI formed the Cooperative IASCC Research (CIR) Program. This is a cooperative, jointly funded effort with participants from eight countries providing financial support and technical oversight. The efforts of the CIR Program are directed at the highest priority questions in the areas of material susceptibility, water chemistry and material stress. Major research areas of the Program are: (1) evaluation of IASCC mechanisms, (2) development of methodology for predicting IASCC, and (3) quantification of irradiation effects on metallurgy, mechanics and electrochemistry. Studies to evaluate various IASCC mechanisms include work to better understand the possible roles of radiation-induced segregation (RIS), radiation microstructure, bulk and localized deformation effects, overall effects on strength and ductility, hydrogen and helium effects, and others. Experiments are being conducted to isolate individual effects and determine the relative importance of each in the overall IASCC mechanism. Screening tests will be followed by detailed testing to identify the contribution of each effect over a range of conditions. The paper describes the completed and ongoing work being sponsored by the CIR Program in the above areas.
- Research Organization:
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, Washington, DC (United States); Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 305910
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CP-0162-Vol.1; CONF-9710101-Vol.1; ON: TI98007503; TRN: 99:002830
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 25. water reactor safety information meeting, Bethesda, MD (United States), 20-22 Oct 1997; Other Information: PBD: Mar 1998; Related Information: Is Part Of Twenty-fifth water reactor safety information meeting: Proceedings. Volume 1: Plenary sessions; Pressure vessel research; BWR strainer blockage and other generic safety issues; Environmentally assisted degradation of LWR components; Update on severe accident code improvements and applications; Monteleone, S. [comp.] [Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)]; PB: 376 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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