J-R curve characterization of irradiated low upper shelf welds

Technical Report · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6899508

Hiser, A L; Loss, F J; Menke, B H

This investigation provides a data base of J-R curve trends from irradiated A 508 and A 533-B weld metals exhibiting low upper shelf Charpy-V (C/sub v/) energy. These welds were made with Linde 80 flux of the same lots used for vessels currently in service. These materials exhibited postirradiation C/sub v/ upper shelf energies of 58 J to 80 J. Compact toughness (CT) specimens of four different sizes (0.5T- to 4T-CT) were characterized. These specimens were irradiated to a fluence of approx. 1 x 10/sup 19/ n/cm/sup 2/ > 1 MeV as part of the NRC-sponsored HSST program. The J-R curves exhibited a power-law behavior for small crack extensions (e.g., < 2 mm). Irradiation decreased the level of the R-curve significantly in most cases. The value of J-integral at the initiation of crack growth (J/sub Ic/) decreased on average by approx. 25% at 200/sup 0/C and by approx. 35% at 288/sup 0/C. The average value of tearing modulus (T/sub avg/) was a more discriminating indication of the degradation due to irradiation, as T/sub avg/ decreased on average by approx. 54% at 200/sup 0/C and by approx. 69% at 288/sup 0/C. A modest size effect associated with larger specimens was indicated for tests in the unirradiated condition, while no size effect was apparent for tests in the irradiated condition. These data comppare favorably with correlations between C/sub v/ upper shelf energy and J-R curve parameters observed from prior studies with 1T-CT specimens. These correlations could enhance the significance of C/sub v/ reactor surveillance data with respect to structural integrity.

• Research Organization: Materials Engineering Associates, Inc., Lanham, MD (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6899508
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-3506; MEA-2028; ON: DE84901084
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360106* -- Metals &amp; Alloys-- Radiation Effects
ALLOYS
CHARPY TEST
CRACK PROPAGATION
DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
IMPACT TESTS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
JOINTS
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICAL TESTS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
STEEL-ASTM-A508
STEEL-ASTM-A533
STEELS
TESTING
WELDED JOINTS