Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

J-R curve characterization of irradiated low-shelf nuclear vessel steels

Conference · · Am. Soc. Test. Mater., Spec. Tech. Publ.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6410156
The J-R curve behavior of irradiated nuclear pressure vessel steels is characterized in the ductile upper-shelf regime in order to provide a materials basis with which to assess the margin of safety against fracture for water reactor vessels exhibiting a low upper-shelf C /SUB v/ energy. With the single specimen compliance technique, the R-curve is shown to follow a power-law behavior for small crack extension, and this phenomenon has led to a proposed new indexing procedure for J /SUB Ic/. In addition, a specimen size dependence of the R-curve has been suggested by the results of similar compact tension specimens up to 100 mm thick and which have sufficiently deep side grooves to produce a straight crack-front extension. R-curve data are presented in terms of a J versus T instability diagram which couples material and structural parameters, thereby permitting an analysis to be made of the margin against failure in terms of J. Also, a correlation has been suggested between the R-curve parameters and C /SUB v/ shelf energy; this could enhance the structural significance of C /SUB v/ reactor surveillance data.
Research Organization:
Materials Eng. Assoc. Inc., Lanham, MD
OSTI ID:
6410156
Report Number(s):
CONF-8110313-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Am. Soc. Test. Mater., Spec. Tech. Publ.; (United States) Journal Volume: STP-803
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English