Contribution of the CEC in structural analysis applied to LMFBR problems

This paper presents both the activity of DG XII (Directorate General for Science Research and Development) in field of Codes and Standards (harmonization) and the research activity carried out at the JRC in Ispra. The first part describes the activity performed in the field of structural analysis by the Fast Reactor Coordinating Committee of the CEC and its working Group Codes and Standards. This activity is aimed at resolving difficulties encountered in using design procedures based on ASME Code Case N-47. In the second part of the paper results of recent research and future plans in the area of structural mechanics at the JRC Ispra are discussed. In the past years, a large effort was devoted to the COVA (code validation) program intended to validate dynamic fluid/structure codes; the main conclusions are presented. The paper then describes the identification technique which is applied for the determination of constitutive equations for the dynamic behaviour of materials. In the field of fracture mechanics JRC has mostly concentrated its efforts on the elastic-plastic fracture toughness properties of irradiated austenitic steels