Small specimen test results and application of advanced models for fracture mechanics assessment of RPV integrity

For the RPV (reactor pressure vessel) integrity assessment the transferability of specimen test results to components is of main importance. The international project TIMES (transferability of fracture toughness of irradiated materials to components and structures) is focussed on the transferability of fracture mechanical characteristics of irradiated materials to components or structures, in order to allow the quantification of differences between sample and component characteristics based on experiments and calculations. The studies were performed for the brittle and brittle-ductile regions of the material characteristics using specimens from original RPV materials in different conditions. Based on case studies the consequence of a component assessment with postulated defects are shown when specimen-related materials properties are used. Since it is not possible to prove the transferability for an RPV in detail, component-similar effects were investigated that allow in combination with numerical modelling to quantify the safety margin. Samples and experimental procedures were developed that simulated the real component situation. The effects of crack depth and multiaxial loads, relevant for real components, were investigated with these samples. A micromechanical model was developed based on the weakest link theory and the statistical failure probability; this model is used for the prediction of fracture toughness of samples and components with defects. For a component with postulated defects the safety margin was assessed using different methodologies, based on standard fracture mechanical samples, taking into account component specific aspects