Flaw behavior in mechanically loaded clad plates

A small crack near the inner surface of clad nuclear reactor pressure vessels is an important consideration in the safety assessment of the structural integrity of the vessel. Four-point bend tests on large plate specimens, six clad and two unclad, were performed to determine the effect of stainless steel cladding upon the propagation of small surface cracks subjected to stress states similar to those produced by pressurized thermal shock conditions. Test results have shown that the tough surface layer composed of cladding and/or heat-affected zone has enhanced the load-bearing capacity of plates under conditions where unclad plates have ruptured. The results are interpreted in terms of fracture mechanics. The behavior of flaws in clad reactor pressure vessels is examined in the light of the test results. (orig.)