Standards, rules and codes for pressure vessels in France; status and further developments

As a result of the french tradition, the only mandatory requirements applying to pressure components are those of the regulation. For practical applications, non mandatory codes are established by various mechanical societies. These codes are briefly presented in this paper, with a particular emphasis placed on the French Pressure Vessel Code (the CODAP) and the Design and Construction Rules for Mechanical Components of Nuclear Islands (RCC-M). Recent evolutions of these two codes concerning organization, materials, design, construction and testing are presented, as well as the expected further developments. The french participation in the development of european codes is also addressed. (orig.)