FRACTURE ANALYSIS OF SURFACE-BREAKING SHALLOW FLAW BEHAVIOUR IN THE NESC-IV BEND BEAM TESTS

摘要

NESC-IV is an experimental/analytical program to develop validated analysis methods for transferring fracture toughness data generated on standard test specimens to shallow flaws in reactor pressure vessel welds subject to biaxial loading in the lower-transition temperature region. The testing program exploited material from a production-quality reactor pressure vessel. In Part A six clad cruciform specimens containing shallow surface-breaking flaws located in weld material were successfully tested. Post-test fracture mechanics analyses have been conducted by several organizations to determine fracture mechanics parameters such as K, J, Q and T at the flaws. These have been used to interpret the results with respect to the Master Curve, giving particular attention to constraint aspects.